Downtown State College Farmers Market Returns

Deb’s Flower Farm, pictured here in 2023, is among the vendors at the Downtown State College Farmers Market, which returned for the 2024 season on April 12. Photo by Shannon Smith | Onward State

The rainy weather did not stop the Downtown State College Farmers Market from launching its first market of 2024 on Friday, April 12.

The popular farmers market occurs every Friday from 11:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. on Locust Lane through November and has a mission, according to its website, of “creating an environment for farmers and residents of Centre County to mutually benefit from a market of locally produced items.”

The farmers market features a wide range of vendors, including flower farmers, fruit and vegetable stands, bakeries, aromatherapy businesses, coffee stands and more.

For Inside Out Cookie business owner Nick Freed, the Downtown State College Farmers Market has been a staple for his business over the last three years.

“This was my first event that I ever did when I started the business,” Freed shared. “So, it’s kind of like my home spot.”

Freed sells a wide range of cookies stuffed with different fillings, like the crowd favorite Brookie Monster — a chocolate chip cookie and brownie combination stuffed with a Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup and topped with M&Ms and an Oreo crumble.

*Nick Freed, of Inside Out Cookies, at the Downtown State College Farmers Market in 2023. Photo by Shannon Smith | Onward State*

“This is usually a pretty high energy market, especially when students are here. I have a lot of regulars that I only see at this market. So, I get to see those people again, coming out and enjoying the warm weather and State College,” he said. “I like being downtown when there’s a lot of people and a lot of things going on. This is a good place to be in the middle of that.”

Deb’s Flower Farm has been another staple of the Downtown State College Farmers Market for multiple years now and Kat Fisher, whose mother, Deb, runs the flower farm, shared more about what it means to the family to get to return to the farmers market.

“Interacting with people all day, it’s really nice because a lot of what we do, you know, making products and growing the flowers, is kind of solo work or small group,” Fisher shared. “So, it’s really nice to just interact and be in the thick of things again.”

The Downtown State College Farmers Market will return on Friday, April 19.