As if the falling leaves weren’t enough of a sign that summer is over, here’s another: The Belmont Farmers’ Market has closed for the season.
According to Hal Shubin, chair of the market committee, the 19th season was a success by all measures. The total number of shoppers was about 21,000, double what it was in 2019 and 2020.
The market, which runs weekly from June to October, is a popular community event, mixing music, arts and cultural programming with access to healthy local produce and products. At the beginning of the season, Market Manager Mireia Carpio called it “the place to be on a Thursday afternoon.”
The original goal of the market was a food market where people could walk and ride bicycles, but over the years, it has become more of a community gathering place, according to Shubin. In addition to the vendors, artists and musicians, it is a spot to learn about the community’s nonprofit organizations. Local and state officials use the market to conduct office hours.
“A number of people came up to us [this season] telling us how much fun it was and saying what a great community activity it is,” he said. “And that makes all the work worthwhile.”
Part of the Belmont Food Collaborative Inc., the market also serves a larger community purpose, providing a space for food assistance, vendor support and children’s education. As a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, the market receives donations from community members to support programs, as well as sponsorships from local businesses. Recognizing that food insecurity is a fact of life for some in Belmont, Shubin said the market matches the federal Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits, giving about 50 weekly users up to an extra $25 for fresh produce.
The market also participates in the Farmers Market Nutrition Program and the Healthy Incentives Program.
While hard data is not yet available for this year, Shubin said the 2023 market helped people stretch their food budgets by $59,000 through SNAP benefit matching and other assistance programs.
Kids aged 5 to 12 are invited to participate in the POP Club, where they are given $3 each week in coupons to spend at the market for any fruits, vegetables or food-producing plants they want to buy. The goal is to encourage healthy eating and participation in meal preparation.
“Sometimes they try something new, sometimes they buy old favorites,” Shubin said. “You see the kids walking around with the coupons, and they’ve got a little wallet full of them. It’s really kind of amazing.”
The farmers’ market is an integral part of the Belmont commercial sector as well, supporting and supported by local businesses.
“We always suggest our shoppers go to Leonard Street and do some shopping, and our customer survey tells us every year that more than half of our shoppers do go into Belmont Center and go to the toy store, the clothing stores, the bookstore, the restaurants,” Shubin said. “It’s important to us to be part of the community and support the shops there, and they support us as well.”
Shubin said the market committee is already starting to think about how to celebrate the market’s 20th season, which will begin next June. Visitors can expect some sort of birthday party, he said. In the meantime, he says the importance of the market as a community event is what is on his mind.
“People come in to buy food, but they see friends, get food assistance, sit and listen to music and talk to community groups,” Shubin said. “It’s just a nice way to spend a Thursday afternoon.”
