Popular Glenwood Springs Downtown Market Returns
Fresh produce, handmade crafts and special events attract hundreds weekly

Glenwood Springs, Colorado, April 10 - The wildly popular Glenwood Springs Downtown Market opens for the season Tuesday, June 17. Held every Tuesday through September 23, from 4 p.m. to dusk, the colorful open-air market features vine-ripened produce, picked fresh that morning, among other distinctive merchandise.

Now in its fourth season, the market takes place at downtown’sCentennial Park at 9^th Street and Grand Avenue. Locally grown produce for sale include Palisade peaches, Olathe corn and Delta tomatoes, plus home-baked breads and fresh-cut flowers. The 8th Street Deli and Andy’s Catering serve hot food throughout the season, and Hungry Mother Organic Foods and Woody Creek Cellars winery sell their wares. Local artisans and crafters feature jewelry, clothing and home decor.

“We’re preparing for even bigger crowds this year,” says market board member Cindy Svatos, who founded the event with other community members in 2005. Even with the rising cost of fuel, participating growers expect that their produce prices may increase only slightly this season. "Since all of our growers are local or regional, they don't have to drive as far to deliver their products, keeping prices lower than national grocery store chains," said Svatos. Last year, more than 2,000 shoppers attended the summer-long event, which also includes live music, entertainment and cooking demonstrations by local chefs.

Special events this year include the 4^th Annual Soup Contest, during which local restaurants compete for bragging rights and the coveted Soup Tureen Trophy. Taste all the entries for $5 and vote for your favorite September 24.

The grand finale of the Downtown Market season takes place Saturday, September 27, with a vibrant Oktoberfest celebration. An oompah band, Bavarian dancing and food and drink mark the fall festival.

For more information about the Glenwood Springs Downtown Market, visit www.glenwoodmarket.com.

Can’t make it to Glenwood Springs on a summer Tuesday? Stop by the parking lot outside Rite Aid (at 14^th Street and Grand Avenue), for fresh produce directly from Western Slope vendors on Saturdays from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m., mid-June through the beginning of November.

This annual event has been taking place for 23 years, and the open-air market features all-natural meats, bread and baked goods, fruits and vegetables, fresh-cut flowers, all-natural honey and other locally produced items.

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Farm-fresh, locally grown produce   Olive oil tasting Freshly baked breads