If there’s anything to know about a farmer’s market, it’s that you should arrive early.
That’s true even in September when the Riverside Farmers Market is in full swing at Idlewild Park. Orange cones prevent you from entering the park and taking available spaces that you see from a distance away.
The Riverside Farmer’s Market opens from 8 a.m.- 1 p.m. Sundays.
You’ll find tons of fresh fruit options, including strawberries, peaches, and grapes. And, several vendors selling honey and honey products. Other niche items range from birdfeeders, sourdough bread, and soap to facial tallow products, metal yard decorations, wind chimes, and hot sauces.
Year-Round Opportunities to Visit – not just in the summer
The Farmer’s Market is open year-round at Idlewild Park; You may want to be at the market before 10 a.m. to score a good parking space on nearby streets or to beat the crowds that begin to grow by 11 a.m.
If you’re looking for specific products or local businesses, you can check out the interactive online map to see the list of vendors with booths for that date and their location within the park. Fortunately, you can search alphabetically by name.
It’s hard to leave without purchasing something or wanting to support a local vendor or artisan. This writer purchased facial tallow sold by Spanish Springs-based Tallow Untamed to see what the online craze has been about. (Beef tallow is said to be biocompatible with our skin, providing people with an alternative to synthetic facial products.)
You could be intrigued by earrings that use local pressed leaves and flowers; energy crackers from Sasquatch Foods, Inc.; beef jerky; or loose teas made for a variety of purposes.
Finding a Place to Eat
The longest lines at the Riverside Farmers Market queue up in front of the food trucks, located close to the California Building. Tacos, local beer, crepes, ice cream, and lavender-flavored drinks could satisfy your taste. Many people enjoy eating their food on the grassy field located just behind the food trucks; a few nearby metal tables are available on a first-come, walk-quick basis.
If you want to walk off the calories afterward or take a reprieve from the Farmers Market crowds, consider a walk along the Truckee River path, enjoying the view of the river and getting active with the runners, bikers and walkers out for the day, too.
According to the RenoFarmersMarket.com website, most of the vendors at the Farmers Market live and work within the Reno area or nearby. It’s the place to find pesticide-free produce and pasture-raised eggs and meat sold by local farmers and ranchers.
