Published August 28, 2023
New vendors, September food drives and fall programs at the Market
The 2nd Street Market invites the public to celebrate the harvest season with seasonal programs, special shopping opportunities and new vendors this fall. Located at 600 E. Second Street, the Market is also teaming up with The Foodbank to collect donations during Hunger Awareness Month.
The newest permanent vendors at the Market are Choice Juice Boxx, an eco-friendly juicery offering healthy, natural products. Additionally, Ordinarie Fare opened in mid-August and offers plant-based lunch options and desserts.
Outdoor Farmers Market vendors will offer fresh produce, artisan wares, baked goods and more on Saturdays, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. and Sundays, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., through Oct. 29.
Hunger Awareness Month at the Market begins on Saturday, Sept. 2 with a Stuff the Truck back-to-school food drive lead by The Foodbank. Visitors are encouraged to bring non-perishable food items to donate, all of which will go to support children challenged with hunger in the greater Dayon region. A card station will be set up for donors to write a note for children who are enrolled in the Foodbank’s Backpack Program, in addition to post cards for Vagabond Studio & Gallery’s program for local seniors.
Community organizations partnered with the Foodbank will be on site each subsequent Saturday of September collecting food. Dates are:
- September 9: The Marketplace Movement Pantry
- September 16: Fairview United Methodist Church Pantry
- September 23: Triple C Community Outreach
- September 30: Bold Believers Community Involvement, Inc.
Hunger Action Month is a nationwide campaign that takes place in September with the goal of ending hunger. Currently, 88,420 individuals in the Miami Valley experience food insecurity. The entire month of September, communities join forces to fight hunger by raising awareness, hosting food drives, fundraising, and donating their time.
Also in September, the Market will host a Culture Kitchen dinner in celebration of Hispanic Heritage Month. On Sept. 14, from 5:30 to 8 p.m., guests can enjoy a three-course meal prepared by Chef Santiago Herrera of Napales Mexican Street Food, with dessert by Karina Tafolla of Yellow Springs Baking Company. They will share their culinary journey from Mexico to Dayton.
October ushers in the Market’s annual fall events, which are:
- Fall Native Plant Sale: Sunday, Oct. 1, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. –
Local growers and nurseries will offer a huge selection of flowering perennials, grasses, trees and shrubs.
- Apple Days: Sunday, Oct. 15, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. –
Johnny Appleseed will roam the Market passing out free apples. Additionally, the Market’s vendors invite you to sample a variety of apples
- Pumpkin Decorating: Saturday, Oct. 28, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. –
Children can pick up a free pumpkin and decorate it with paint, stickers, markers and more.
- Trick or Treat at the Market: Sunday, Oct. 29, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Guests are invited to dress in their Halloween costumes to visit the Market for a festive trick-or-treat opportunity with the Market’s vendors.
In addition to seasonal programming, Five Rivers MetroParks and the Market’s vendors will also host a variety of programs, from story time to plant care. Music at the Market is hosted most Saturdays and Sundays and features a variety of local talent across multiple genres of music. Find all the Market’s fall programs and events at metroparks.org/localfood.
The 2nd Street Market’s programs are sponsored by Dayton Children’s.
The 2nd Street Market is a facility of Five Rivers MetroParks and supports its mission to protect the region’s natural heritage by providing the community access to fresh, local food, which is often healthier and less taxing on the environment. Additionally, shopping from local small businesses means food and products are transported shorter distances, further reducing shoppers’ carbon footprint.
Learn more about the 2nd Street Market at metroparks.org/localfood and sign up for its monthly email newsletter at metroparks.org/newsletters.
