A Note From Dave

Dear North Market Shopper,

On Saturday, October 3rd, we will, once again, host our annual Harvest Festival. Another growing season is drawing to a close and each year we celebrate the hard work of our community of growers with a festival that celebrates the bounty of Ohio agriculture. It's everything fresh and everything local.

This year's Harvest Festival is adding a couple new twists that will place even greater focus on eating locally.

Thanks to the efforts of Local Matters, the Harvest Festival will serve as the kick-off to Local Foods Week. Many of you know Local Matters through The Greener Grocer here at the Market. The Greener Grocer is our local farmstand in the city as they have partnered with many, many local growers to provide farm fresh Ohio produce all week long. In just a little more than a year the Greener Grocer has become the premier destination for everything local.

Read the rest of Dave's note here>

Harvest Festival on Saturday

The North Market Harvest Festival is helping to kick off Local Matters Local Foods Week this Saturday, October 3. In addition to our usual extravaganza of harvest produce, baking contests, live music and kids’ activities, this year as part of their Local Foods Week celebration, Local Matters worked to pair local chefs with some of our farmers to do cooking demonstrations right out of their stalls.

This festival will be a fun one for your kiddies with a plethora of activities and entertainment. Mark Wood will be twisting balloon animals and executing fancy rope tricks. Rita Miller will be on hand for fanciful full face painting. There will be give-aways of Mozart's cookies and Thomas' Orchard apples and the Columbus Jaycees will return for their annual stint of offering harvest-inspired crafts. Not to mention, if you are looking for a new four-legged friend, the Columbus Dog Connection will be on hand with adoptable dogs.

Learn more about the baking contests and find a full schedule of activities here>

Market to Market Bicycle Adventure Saturday

It's on! "It" is a cross-city, local foods-centric bike ride, for amateurs and aficionados alike between The Hills Market and the North Market. Our markets share not only a philosophical connection: one that makes it a priority to provide and promote the best Ohio has to offer to consumers, but also a physical connection: the Olentangy River Greenway (or more commonly, the Olentangy Bike Trial). Join both markets this Saturday, October 3, as we connect to celebrate the end of a great summer season with “Market to Market”. Market to Market will be the kick-off event for Local Matters Local Foods Week in Columbus.

Want to join the fun? You have the option of starting at either market to fuel up with breakfast before embarking on the 13 mile adventure to the market at the other end of the bike trail. Each participating rider will be issued a local foods passport at the beginning of their journey. Bikers can collect stamps along the way by visiting with local vendors and organizations set up along the path including Pattycake Bakery, Ohio Proud, Sustainable Worthington, Greenovate and Local Matters. Participants who show completed passports at their destination market will be rewarded with a scoop of Jeni's Splendid Ice Cream and a reusable bag filled with coupons and goodies from local foods purveyors. Those intrepid enough to bike back to their market of origin will receive a completely different bag of goodies, creating a total value of $50 worth of savings and samples.

Learn more about Market to Market and register here>

Revenge of CupcakeCampColumbus Next Week

The first CupcakeCampColumbus was a sugary success staged in the back parlor of the Surly Girl Saloon this past May. For round two, Revenge of CupcakeCampColumbus, organizers Carmen Owens of Surly Girl Saloon and Kiesha Jenkins-Duffy of the blog 52 Weeks of Baking have teamed up with the North Market’s own Mary Martineau. The trio will bring on an even bigger baking event that will take place on Saturday, October 10 from 1 to 3 p.m. in the Dispatch Kitchen at the North Market.

Read all about the event and buy tickets to indulge your sweet tooth here>