ATHENS-The Athens Saturday Market is in its inaugural year and has already become the city’s 
gathering place on Saturday mornings.
The Athens Saturday Market Committee has decided to continue holding the market through September because of the popularity and the availability of produce such as beans, tomatoes, squash, corn and okra. Melons and figs will be in soon.
Initially, the program was going to end the last Saturday in August.
“I think people enjoy buying fresh vegetables and fruit, but also finding other items like herbs, goat cheese and coffee,”
Laurie Glenn
said Committee Chairwoman Laurie Glenn. “I also think we have made the experience fun for families by having musical entertainment, activities like Zumba and educational programs.”
Saturday, Aug. 10, will be Kids Day at the market. Children can decorate a vegetable and compete in games like a sack race and wooden egg race. Suzanne Paysinger will conduct a nutritional program at 10 a.m. and 11 a.m. for children called “What’s On Your Plate?” The market is open from 8 a.m. to noon. Children’s activities start at 9 a.m.
“This is a great way to engage children to be active and to expose them to fresh produce,” Glenn said.
Spirit of Athens Director Trisha Black said the market’s appeal will continue to grow as
Trisha Black
improvements are made to the grounds. The Limestone County Commission painted the pavilion, and the City of Athens installed sidewalks and removed some asphalt to improve parking and add more green space. This work is part of a $20,000 Lowe’s/Keep America Beautiful grant that Keep Athens-Limestone Beautiful, Spirit of Athens and the City of Athens worked together to write earlier this year.
The Farmers Market Renovation Committee is overseeing grant implementation and currently is working on adding raised beds for organic community gardens that will provide food for those in need. The work also will include improving the landscaping. Volunteers and a Boy Scout working on this as an Eagle Scout project have joined together to complete the work by December.
“The community has gotten behind the market, and I’ve been impressed with the volunteers who have stepped up to work on improving it,” Black said.
For more information about the market, go online at www.athenssaturdaymarket.com
