While they’ve long been pillars of local food in urban centers and town squares, in recent years, farmers markets have gained the national recognition they deserve as essential businesses that enable farmers and communities to thrive.
This year, the Aptos Farmers Market* is participating in the America’s Farmers Market Celebration™ (AFMC), the only annual ranking of the top farmers markets in the United States as voted on by the public. Since 2008, AFMC has highlighted the important role farmers markets play in communities across the nation while celebrating the farmers, staff, and volunteers who make markets happen.
The 16th annual AFMC, set to run between June 1 and July 31, 2024, on the website markets.farmland.org, is a fun competition that can help our market earn national recognition and local prestige. With votes from supporters like you, we hope to take home part of the $15,000 prize pool. This money would help us to:
- Match EBT funds to better serve our community
- Highlight and promote our chef demonstrations for seasonal cooking
- Expand our partnership and services to support the Nourish Fresh Market program at the Watsonville Community Hospital.
Our farmers market also offers community booth spaces for many programs including Loaves and Fishes, Second Harvest Food Bank, Boys and Girls Scouts, and childhood development and nutrition programs.
If you have ever been to the Aptos Farmers Market you already know it’s the gold standard for farmers markets in the region. To vote for our market, visit this page to cast your vote!
*Our organization consists of four farmers markets, but we are listed as ‘Aptos Farmers Market’ on the AFT site to avoid confusion. Any monetary awards we receive will serve our four markets.
