Members of the Boulder Farmers Market nonprofit corporation have expertly developed its market infrastructure, taking note of the successes and failures of other similar markets. The site of the market in Central Park, located in the center of the city, was carefully chosen for its accessibility and idyllic surroundings. If not in the shopping mood, guests can grab a snack and relax on the banks of nearby Boulder Creek. Parking in city garages is free during market hours, making it even more convenient for locals and visitors to drop by on a whim.

Open seasonally on Saturdays from April through November, and Wednesday evenings May through October, the market has become not only an engine for the local economy, but a thriving gathering place. In addition to hosting a weekend-long Winter Market each December, BCFM organizes special children’s events, monthly art shows, and a roving “Farm-to-Neighborhood” community dinner program featuring local growers and chefs.

After a succession of small, informal farmers markets proved unsuccessful in Boulder’s downtown, a group of local farmers and students from the University of Colorado decided to organize a more formal open-air market in 1987. The Boulder County Farmers Market (BCFM), located in Boulder’s Central Park, is a growers-only market that supports local farmers, prepared and packaged food producers, along with local artists and artisans.

Image credits: Josh Montague via Flickr, Zane Selvans via Flickr, Josh Montague via Flickr

Website: http://www.boulderfarmers.org/

Twitter: @BCFMarkets

Facebook: facebook.com/BoulderCountyFarmersMarkets

Instagram: @bcfm