In May 2024, the Macon County Farmers Market will come to life for the first time in Franklin, North Carolina. Thanks to the support of the Town of Franklin and surrounding downtown businesses, the Market will be located on Iotla Street next to the Gazebo on the Square. It will operate on Saturdays, May-November, 9:00AM-2:00PM. This Market will offer so much more than food, so read on to learn more!
What You’ll Find at the Market Booths
The Macon County Farmers Market will feature a wide variety of local vendors, including growers, bakers, and makers. From fresh produce to local honey, baked goods to handmade crafts, and live plants to goat milk products, you'll find something for everyone. Maybe even a food truck or two!
Market Activities
The weekly Market will invite professionals and experts to offer free enrichment activities relating to nutrition, food preparation, food safety, food cultivation, conservation of the local ecosystem, and other topics relating to food and the natural assets that contribute to food production. And each week, there will be live music to make the Market vibes even better.
Food Programs
The Macon County Farmers Market has been approved to accept SNAP/EBT payments. That means that Market customers will be able to use their SNAP/EBT cards to purchase produce, canned/jarred foods, baked goods, and even food-producing plants! The Market will also participate in Grant programs that multiply SNAP/EBT dollars spent at the Farmers Market for customers. More info will be posted closer to the Market launch in May.
In addition to SNAP/EBT programs, a local nonprofit has recently stepped forward and will purchase up to $1000 worth of perishable produce from various vendors when the market closes each Saturday. The purchased produce will be donated to Macon County Carenet to feed food-insecure families in our county. Also, the new Swain Macon Produce Rx Program plans to do some shopping of its own at the Market. The Produce Rx Program from MountainWise delivers fresh, locally grown, healthy food boxes every week to families experiencing food insecurity in Swain and Macon counties. More sales for the Market Vendors combined with helping food-insecure families in our region. Now that’s what we call a Win-Win scenario!
Get Involved
There are plenty of ways to get involved in your local Macon County Farmers Market. From donations to sponsorship opportunities, and volunteers to enrichment activity providers and musicians, everyone can find something on the Get Involved page of the Market website.
The Macon County Farmers Market is set to be the perfect family-friendly outing on Saturdays in Franklin. Live music, enrichment activities, and a location on the Square in historic downtown will all come together to create a weekly event you won’t want to miss. And to make it even better, there will be plenty of fresh, local food and an array of handmade products available. You can eat healthy, support local vendors, and have fun all at the same time. So make sure you add the Macon County Farmers Market to your calendar on Saturdays starting in May and follow us on social media for updates!