May 30, 2024

The Downtown Springfield Association (DSA) and Farmers Market of the Ozarks (FMO) partner for a new weekly afternoon market at Park Central Square, starting June 15. The market will be held on Saturdays from 2:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. through the end of October. The market features a variety of locally raised meat and dairy, produce and hand-crafted products, plus live music at the gazebo stage.

The market is part of a larger initiative highlighted in the downtown chapter of the Forward SGF comprehensive plan adopted by the City of Springfield in 2022. “The Square acts as downtown’s heart and central gathering space but community members have voiced its lack of draw and the need to better activate it,” Forward SGF said. “Weekly community events should continue to be organized at the square to give a reason for community members to go while helping strengthen sense of community.”

This will be the third location for FMO. Starting in 2013 at Farmers Park, the organization expanded to a second site at the Branson Landing in 2015. FMO has been recognized as one of the top farmers markets in the region by Feast Magazine, Food52 Kitchen Collection and Microsoft Network.

DSA currently manages many of the region’s most iconic community events including Cider Days, Taste of SoMo and the Springfield Christmas Parade. 

“DSA is excited to work with our community partners to bring this new market to Downtown,” said Rusty Worley, DSA executive director. “It will offer the hundreds of loft residents and the surrounding neighborhoods more options for healthy food choices within walking and biking distance of their homes.”

Those interested in being a vendor should contact Jess Brushaber at branson@loveyourfarmer.com and those interested in being a musical performer should contact Rusty Worley at rusty@itsalldowntown.com. 

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About Downtown Springfield Association

The Downtown Springfield Association’s mission is to cultivate and sustain a vibrant business community represented by a balance of retail, professional, service, dining and entertainment entrepreneurs.  The Downtown Springfield Association is a non-profit 501(c)(6) community development organization.