Behind the Booths: 5 Surprising Finds at the Hub City Farmers’ Market
Grab your market baskets and reusable totes; InTheBurg is headed to the Hub City Farmers' Market!
There's no better place to find local produce than your local farmers market, and the HCFM has the longest running market season in Upstate South Carolina.
You may already know that the market occurs each Saturday morning from 8am-12pm at the Northside Harvest Park (498 Howard St,) April through December. But, have you toured the Urban Farm or visited the Mobile Market? Caught a live show or sampled local food trucks?
InTheBurg is going behind-the-booths, with five market finds and features unique to Spartanburg and HCFM.
Shop More Than Produce
While many shoppers head to the market for produce and edible goods, there’s also lots to shop in the way of local crafts, gifts, and art! Specialty vendors range from goat’s milk soap and organic bouquets, to tinctures, candles, woodworking, and ceramics. (If you get lucky, you might even see some visiting goats!)
Browse the market with a mimosa or snack in hand, via each week’s featured beverage cart or food truck.
Live Entertainment & Events
Do you like your grocery shopping with a side of live music and family-friendly activities? Most weeks, Hub City features a live, local performer on the market stage and featured food trucks, with occasional food demonstrations and themed markets.
Annual events at Harvest Park include the Farm to Table dinner, Happy Hour events at the Urban Farm garden, and more. May 25th, 2023, Hub City will present its first “Chopped in the Burg” live competition.
Find a full list of upcoming events here: Events Calendar — Hub City Farmers Market
Get Your Hands Dirty
Not only a hub for countywide farmers, Hub City also has its own farm on-site! The Urban Farm serves several purposes, providing educational space for young learners to get their hands dirty, a location for the Summer Youth Development Program, a pop-up event space (see Cocktails in the Garden above,) home-grown produce for FoodShare boxes, and more.
Hub City offers frequent tours and demonstrations at the Urban Farm during weekly market hours, as well as school trips during the week.
Oh SNAP! Transform Dollars & Diets
HCFM accepts cash, SNAP, and EBT, with a token system to swipe debit cards. SNAP, aka Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, is a federal program assisting families in-need with food budgets.
Hub City offers “Double-SNAP” matching, offering an extra dollar for each one spent at the market, (up to $40.) Additionally, it offers $15 if you add $5 to an EBT card, transforming $40 into $95 available for fresh produce, meat, eggs, bread, and more.
Find Hub City On-Location
The first of its kind in South Carolina, Hub City's Mobile Market offers a pared down selection of the Saturday market's offerings, on wheels. The Mobile Market is especially significant for providing access to healthy options in food deserts and low income neighborhoods. Find many of the Saturday vendors’ goods in-stock, including fresh pork and eggs, seasonal produce, coffee, and more.
The schedule of locations varies weekly, with some market stops subject to weather.