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Ithaca Winter Market Closes, Outdoor to Open Ithaca Winter Market Closes, Outdoor Market Opens

By Liam Goff

Reporter: The Ithaca Farmers Market has been serving their CNY community since 1973. This year, however, marks just the sixth year of their winter market, which comes to a close today. One of their vendors, Sophie Herman, a team member at Bright Raven Farm, describes the different feel to the winter market

Herrmann: It allows us to connect but also still get really yummy
local food. This is kind of like a hold over the real season is outside at Steamboat Landing downtown. so really, we’re just kind of biding our time up until that point in season.

Reporter: Operations manager of the market Carrie Cuinn says the experience of the indoor market isn’t the same as the outdoor market, but thinks that the market is a great opportunity for the vendors and community.

Cuinn: The winter market is a little quieter, so it lets me talk to people more than I get to at during the summer. I can talk to customers or find out what they want. I could talk to our vendors more, see how they’re doing. So it’s just it’s a different vibe. But like, they’re both good.

Reporter: Henry Vierschilling, an Ithaca College student, says the outdoor spring market is one of his favorite Ithaca community events.

Vierschilling: The Cambodian spot at the spring location is my personal favorite. And then we go get like, a cider donut, maybe a little cup of coffee or like something to drink to warm me up. Depending on how cold it is out there on the lake. and then, yeah, there’s a place that does, like artisanal soaps that I think it’s just so awesome.

Reporter: While the winter market sees a relatively mild amount of traffic, the spring market attracts up to 5000 visitors per weekend. This empty pavilion will soon be a bustling business center.

Ithaca, N.Y. (NCC News) — The Ithaca Winter Farmer’s Market finished up its last weekend on Saturday. This marks the end of the sixth year in which Ithaca has hosted an indoor farmer’s market during the winter.

The winter market has allowed Ithaca businesses to stay in contact with their local community during the months when it is too cold to be at an outdoor venue. Carrie Cuinn, the operations manager of the market, says that the winter market sees less fresh produce, instead the vendors sell food items with more longevity. Root foods like potatoes, carrots and yams are sold, as well as eggs and honey.

The  next stop for the market however, will include all sorts of fresh food, and lies directly on the waterfront. The outdoor festival, which takes place at the Ithaca Market Steamboat Landing, is one of the most popular events for locals, attracting up to 5,000 visitors per weekend.

The pavilion provides a larger area that can accommodate more vendors, and provides live music. Ithaca College student, Henry Vierschilling, says it’s no surprise that the outdoor market is so popular.

“The Cambodian spot at the spring location is my personal favorite,” he said. “And then we go get like, a cider donut, maybe a little cup of coffee or something like that to warm me up, depending on how cold it is out there on the lake. And then there’s a place that does artisanal soaps that I think is just so awesome.”

The outdoor market opens this weekend, and will be open every subsequent weekend until November. More information about the Ithaca Farmer’s Market can be found here.

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