Charleston Farmer’s Market (CFM) – Where the Locals Shop (Whereas the Tourists Shop at City Market)
My spouse and I
visited the Charleston Farmer’s Market (CFM) on a Saturday morning in
mid-November 2016. We stayed at the DoubleTree in the Historic District, so we
walked a few blocks northwest (about a half-mile) to visit the market in Marion
Square. (We were on our way to tour the Aiken-Rhett House, which is located a
few blocks northeast from the market [perhaps another half-mile].) The market
operates only on Saturday mornings from April through November from 8:00 am to
2:00 pm, with additional days during the Piccolo Spoleto Festival in May and
June and during Holiday Magic in December.
In 1989, the mayor,
in conjunction with Clemson University, established the market. Over the years,
it has received numerous awards, including the Three Sisters Award from the
Charleston Save the City Committee (2005); “Travel + Leisure” magazine‘s one of
the top 10 Best Farmers Markets in the Nation (2008); “Charleston City Paper”
Readers’ Poll, “Best Of,” and “Best Outdoor Event”, and “Best Attraction” (2010,
2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, and 2015). The goal of the market is to support
Lowcountry farmers, growers, artisans, crafters, performers, and community
groups. Vendors sell local produce, plants, herbs, flowers, and prepared/packaged
food. After (or as) you shop, you can also purchase breakfast or lunch (including
cheese, crepes, baked goods, smoked meats, barbecue, pickles, popsicles, nuts,
jams and jellies, coffee, craft sodas, freshly-squeezed juices, and Greek, New
Orleans, Latin, Asian, and Vietnamese cuisine), enjoy live entertainment, browse
juried arts and crafts (including sweetgrass baskets, pottery, soaps, lotions,
clothing, coasters, candles, furniture, garden art, hats, jewelry, paintings,
prints, photographs, pet products, and textiles) and if you are local, you can
meet up and reconnect with your friends. On the day that we visited, patrons shopped,
ate, and relaxed on the grass as well as at small tables and chairs. Note that
we did not see any available portable restroom facilities for vendors or
patrons. (Actually, we saw them, but they were locked and reserved for another
event in the park later in the day.)
Although the Charleston Farmer’s
Market was not a true destination for us, it was worth a stop because we were
in the area on market day.
