There were many reasons why my husband and I decided to move to Davis a few years ago: it’s a small town with many eateries, various sporting and music events thanks to UCD and oh yeah, the famous Davis Farmers Market. It wasn’t until we settled in that I came to find out that Davis has not one, but two farmers markets – each unique in its food and fun.
First, there’s the Saturday morning market, which everyone seems to know about as it draws a crowd from neighboring towns and cities. This is more of your traditional market, with various fruit and vegetable booths, flowers, natural meats, a few local wineries and fun Davis crafts. One of my favorite Saturday morning activities is to grab a cup of drip coffee and browse the produce for dinner inspiration. It’s a farmer’s farmers market, which I love.
The Wednesday night market is a whole different ballgame; it feels more like a community picnic in the park. There’s always a band set up on the grassy “stage” area and Central Park is covered in blankets, families, strollers and kids. There is a group of tables set up on the side for people who didn’t bring a blanket and it’s common for folks to bring a bottle of wine and a board game. And I don’t mean a few board games – these people are serious Scrabble tournament types! There is often a rock climbing wall, pony rides and bounce houses set up to help entertain the young ones. And the booths are also different: there are a few produce booths, but the majority are local restaurants. The perfect way to “do” the Wednesday night market is to pack a blanket and come hungry. Everyone in your family can try a different restaurant for dinner and dessert and relax on the grass while enjoying music. My go-to is the tri-tip sandwich and apple slaw from the Buckhorn, and a popsicle from the popsicle bike, this time it was the blueberry lemon yogurt – yum!
Davis Farmers Markets
Central Park
4th and C Streets
Saturday: 8:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. (year-round)
Wednesday: 4:30 p.m. – 8:30 p.m. (summer only)
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