Colorado Springs Fall Farmers Markets

Colorado Springs Fall Farmers Markets

Are you on the hunt for fresh fruits and vegetables from local Colorado growers? The chill in the air and the changing of the leaves are signaling that the days of leisurely strolls through the local farmers market are coming to an end … but it ain’t over yet! There are still a few venues going strong selling fresh produce in Colorado Springs, not to mention artisan baked goods, cheeses, desserts and so much more. Fall is the time when all of our local Southern Colorado growers gather up the last of their harvests before turning to winter maintenance. We’ve got a list of all the farmers markets that are still going strong as we head into a gorgeous Colorado fall. Gather up your baskets and bags and dreams of hearty stews and warm cobblers. We’re going shopping!

Old Colorado City Farmers Market

8 a.m.-1 p.m. | Saturdays through Oct. | facebook.com/oldcoloradocityfarmersmarket | Bancroft Park, 2407 W Colorado Ave.

The Old Colorado City Farmers Market is lauded for its incredible selection of produce and hand-crafted foods. The vendors at this well-organized weekly market put a lot of time and effort into the goods they sell. OCC makes it easy to navigate the various booths and they maintain a vendor list that is true to the purpose of farmers markets — buying and supporting local businesses. Produce ranges from Rocky Ford melons, Pueblo chiles and Palisade peaches, to locally grown corn, carrots, potatoes and squash. Artisan breads, freshly baked cookies and other enticing treats are also sold weekly. Needless to say, Old Colorado City locals are always bummed on the market’s final day. It means they’ll have to wait another year for fresh-grown goodness mere footsteps away. 

Woodland Park Farmers Market

8 a.m.-1 p.m. | Fridays through Sept. 30 | wpfarmersmarket.com | Memorial Park, Henrietta Avenue and Center Street

For your next fall farmers market, you’ll travel past OCC and Manitou Springs to the lovely town of Woodland Park. It’s a beautiful 30-minute drive that will give you a peek at the fall foliage coming and going (we’ve got a list for that, too). The Woodland Farmers market enhances your produce picking with live music all morning long. Produce includes the usual Colorado favorites mentioned above, plus candy, soap, skincare, wellness products, fresh eggs, artisan cheeses, crusty, handmade breads, crafts and even fresh flowers. The higher elevation helps cool those random hot days that tend to invade the peaceful autumn temps we all expect once September comes along. In addition to all the handmade, homegrown greatness, the venue for the marked is enormous and packed with vendors. They make it worth your while to leave the comfort of Colorado Springs. Plus, it’s on the way to other great destinations further up. Pop in for some breakfast and hit the road to Cripple Creek for some leaf-peeping and make it a fully fall day. 

Colorado Farm and Art Market

Pioneer Museum: 3-7 p.m. | Wednesdays through Oct. 5 | farmandartmarket.com | 215 S. Nevada Ave. 

Margarita at Pine Creek: 9 a.m.-1 p.m. | Saturdays through Oct. 8 | farmandartmarket.com | 7350 Pine Creek Rd. 

The Colorado Farm in Art Market in downtown Colorado Springs boasts that their vendors sell goods that are 100% Colorado, 100% of the time. That’s great news for people who love to buy local Colorado produce. The Wednesday market (yes, they have two) is held at the Pioneer’s Museum downtown. The venue accepts SNAP payments and is located along the local bus route, making it easier for everyone to get fresh and local produce and food. The local alt-weekly hosts live music and food trucks are also onsite to sell you even more Colorado goodness. The Saturday Colorado Farm and Art Market is hosted at the Margarita at Pine Creek. You can pick up your farm-fresh favorites and then pop in for brunch, a cocktail or an espresso. Artists and makers are present at both of these markets, so if the peaches don’t sell you, the paintings just might. The latter is a non-ADA accessible event, but Wednesday’s markets feature accommodations and all of the same goods as Saturday’s event. 

Backyard Farmers Market

9 a.m.-1 p.m. | Saturdays through Oct. 29 | thebackyardmarkets.com | 12530 Black Forest Road

The Backyard Farmers Market in Black Forest has the distinction of hosting growers and makers well into the fall. They’ve got tamales, watermelons, fresh-baked tarts, cheeses, desserts, micro greens and so much more to offer. Like the trip to Woodland Park, the drive to Black Forest is well worth your time even if you don’t end up coming home with a bag of tamales (but we know you will). It’s a beautiful part of the Pikes Peak region that only seems to get an influx of visitors when I-25 shuts down. Bring your reusable gear to support the market’s mission of sustainability and bring several. Check out their website for a handy Colorado crop calendar so you can be in the know about the best times of year to get your locally grown favorites. If you head out from the south, it’s an easy trip along I-25 to Interquest Pkwy. or via Powers Blvd. to Hwy. 83 and then Shoup Road. From the north, you can take I-25 to the exit for the Western Museum of Mining and Industry and pick up Hwy. 83 to Shoup Road. 

This list of fall farmers markets should keep you up to your ears in Colorado-grown produce and artisan food well into the end of October. We hope it will help you stock up and savor every last bit of summer you can before winter gets here.