The scent of fresh baked goods fills the air. Tender greens cover tables. A band plays as visitors tap their feet. And taste buds water at the prospect of locally grown fruits and vegetables. Now that spring has arrived after one of the longest, hardest winters in memory, outdoor farmers markets are opening around the Twin Cities metro area. Each week this month and into June, more markets will open, expanding the number of places to find locally grown foods, handmade arts and crafts, and cheerful company. Following is a list of many farmers markets around the area, starting with ones in the north metro. If you know of others, e-mail events@startribune.com.
Andover
Location: Grace Lutheran Church, 13655 Round Lake Blvd.
Hours: Tuesdays from May 6 to Oct. 28, 2 to 6 p.m.
Blaine (Anoka County Farmers Market)
Location: St. Timothy's Catholic Church, 707 89th Av. NE.
Hours: Saturdays 7 a.m. to noon starting May 3, and Tuesdays 2 to 5:30 p.m. starting July 15
Anoka
Location: Lyric Arts Theater, 420 E. Main St.
Hours: Thursdays starting July 17, 2-5 p.m.
Brooklyn Park
Location 1: Discover Church parking lot, 1400 81st Av. N.
Hours: Tuesdays from May 20 to Oct. 14, 3 to 7 p.m.
Location 2: Zane Sports Park, 8717 Zane Av. N.
Hours: Wednesdays from June 18 to Oct. 15, 3 to 7 p.m.
Coon Rapids
Location: Mary T's, off Northdale Boulevard east of Hwys. 10 and 47
Hours: Wednesdays, July 16-September, 3 to 6 p.m.
Elk River
Location: Downtown Elk River at Park Plaza on Main Street.
Hours: Thursdays from June 26 to Oct. 2, 2 to 6 p.m.
Farmington
Location: 3rd Street, downtown.
Hours: Thursday, June 19 to Sept. 18, 2:30-6:30 p.m.
Lexington
Location: 4175 Lovell Rd., Lexington
Hours: Wednesdays starting June 18, 3 to 7 p.m.
Maple Grove
Location: 12951 Weaver Lake Rd.
Hours: Thursdays from June 12 to Oct. 23, 3 to 7 p.m. through September, 3-6 p.m. in October.
New Hope
Location: New Hope's City Center, 4300 Xylon Av. N.
Hours: Saturdays from June 21 to Oct. 4, 8 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Northfield
Location: Riverside Park on W. 7th St. downtown.
Hours: Tuesdays and Fridays from 11:45 to 1 p.m. and Saturdays from 9 to 11 a.m., from mid-May to the end of October.
Osseo
Location: 5th Street NW. next to Boerboom Park.
Hours: Tuesdays, July to September from 2 to 6 p.m.
Robbinsdale
Location: Parking lot on Oakdale Avenue at North Memorial Medical Center
Hours: Fridays from June to October, 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Zimmerman
Location: Lions Park, 25850 Main St.
Hours: Tuesdays from May 27-Oct. 7, 3 to 6:30 p.m.
Albertville
Location: Central Park along Main Avenue.
Hours: Thursdays from June 19 to Sept. 25, 3 to 7 p.m.
Apple Valley
Location 1: 7100 W. 147th St.
Hours: Saturdays from June 14 to Oct. 25, 8 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Location 2: Minnesota Zoo, 13000 Zoo Blvd.
Hours: Wednesdays from July 9 to Aug. 27, noon to 4 p.m.
Bloomington
Location: Bloomington Civic Plaza in the east parking lot at 1800 W. Old Shakopee Rd.
Hours: Saturdays from June 7 to Oct. 11, 8 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Burnsville
Location 1: 200 W. Burnsville Pkwy.
Hours: Saturdays from June 14 to Oct. 25, 8 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Location 2: Mary, Mother of the Church, 3333 Cliff Rd.
Hours: Thursdays from May 8 to Oct. 30, noon to 5 p.m.
Chanhassen
Location: City Center Park, 78th Street and Market Boulevard.
Hours: Saturdays from May 31 to Oct. 25, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Chaska (Carver County Farmers Market)
Location: At the County Government Center parking lot in Chaska.
Hours: Wednesdays from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. No official start date is set, but it is slated to begin in June and go through October.
Eagan
Location: Central Park, 1501 Central Pkwy.
Hours: Wednesdays from June 4 to Sept. 24, 4 to 8 p.m.
Edina
Location: Centennial Lakes Park on France Avenue S.
Hours: Thursdays from June 12 to Sept. 25, 3 to 7 p.m.
Excelsior
Location: Water Street between 2nd and 3rd streets.
Hours: Thursdays from May 1 to Oct. 30, 2 to 6 p.m.
Golden Valley (Market in the Valley)
Location: 7800 Golden Valley Rd., by City Hall under the water tower.
Hours: Sundays from June 22 to Oct. 5, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Hopkins
Location: On 9th Avenue a half-block south of the Mainstreet Clock Tower, downtown Hopkins.
Hours: Saturdays from June 14 to Oct. 25 from 7:30 a.m. to noon.
Inver Grove Heights
Location: Veterans Memorial Community Center, 8055 Barbara Av.
Hours: Sundays from June 22 to Oct. 5, 8 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Lakeville
Location: 208th Street W. and Holyoke Avenue.
Hours: Wednesdays June 11 to Oct. 29, noon to 5 p.m.; Saturdays from June 21 to Sept. 27, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Little Canada
Location: AMF Saxon Lanes, 61 Little Canada Rd.
Hours: Mondays from June 16 to Oct. 13, 3 to 6:30 p.m.
Maplewood (Aldrich Arena Farmers Market)
Location: 1850 White Bear Av. N.
Hours: Wednesdays from May 14 to Oct. 29, 8 a.m. to noon
Minneapolis
Linden Hills Farmers Market
Location: Settegren Ace Hardware parking lot, Minneapolis.
Hours: Sundays, June 1 to October, 7 to 9 a.m.
Mill City Farmers Market
Location: 704 S. 2nd St., between the Guthrie Theater and the Mill City Museum.
Hours: Saturdays from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. from May 10 to Oct. 25 (9 a.m. to 1 p.m. in October).
Minneapolis Farmers Market
Location: 312 E. Lyndale Av. N.
Hours: Daily from April 26 to mid-November, 6 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Nicollet Mall Farmers Market (downtown extension of Minneapolis Farmers Market)
Location: Nicollet Avenue from 5th to 12th Avenues S.
Hours: Thursdays from April 24 to November, 6 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Northeast Farmers Market
Location: St. Boniface Church parking lot on University and 7th Avenues NE.
Hours: Saturdays from May 31 to Oct. 25, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Fulton Farmers Market
Location: 4901 Chowen Av. S., Minneapolis.
Hours: Saturdays from May 17 to Oct. 25, 8:30 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Kingfield Farmers Market
Location: 4310 Nicollet Av., Minneapolis
Hours: Sundays from May 18 to Oct. 26, 8:30 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Midtown Farmers Market
Location: Lake Street E. and 22nd Avenue S. in Minneapolis
Hours: Saturdays from May 3 to Oct. 25, 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. and Tuesdays from June 3 to Oct. 28, 3-7 p.m.
University of Minnesota Farmers Market
Location: University of Minnesota East Bank Campus in Minneapolis, Church Street pedestrian mall.
Hours: Wednesdays from July 9 to Oct. 8, 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.
West Broadway Farmers Market
Location: 900 W. Broadway in Minneapolis (West Broadway and Emerson)
Hours: Fridays from June 20 to Oct. 17, 3 to 7 p.m.
Minnetonka
Location: Minnetonka Civic Center Campus, 14600 Minnetonka Blvd.
Hours: Tuesdays from July 1 to Sept. 30, 3-7 p.m.
Plymouth
Location: Plymouth Ice Center, 3650 Plymouth Blvd.
Hours: Wednesdays from June 18 to Oct. 1, 2:30 to 6:30 p.m.
Richfield
Location 1: 64th Street and Portland Avenue S. at Veterans Memorial Park.
Hours: Saturdays from May 17 to Oct. 25., 7 a.m. to noon until September and 8 a.m. to noon during October.
Location 2: 6400 Lyndale Av. S.
Hours: Wednesdays from June 4 to Sept. 10, 2-7 p.m.
Rogers
Location: New location for 2014 will be 12724 Main St. near the Veterans Memorial and Triangle Park Community Gardens
Hours: Wednesdays from June 11 to Oct. 8, 3 to 6:30 p.m.
Rosemount
Location: 13885 S. Robert Trail.
Hours: Tuesdays June 17 to Sept. 30, 1 to 5 p.m.
Roseville
Location: Church of Corpus Christi, 2131 Fairview Av. N.
Hours: Tuesdays from May 6 to Oct. 28, 8 a.m. to noon.
Savage
Location: Quentin Avenue and Hwy. 13.
Hours: Sundays from June 1 to Oct. 26, 8 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Shoreview
Location: Shoreview Community Center, 4580 Victoria St. N.
Hours: Tuesdays from June 17 to Oct. 14, 3 to 7 p.m.
St. Louis Park
The city doesn't have a "true" farmers market, but it does have Fresh Tuesdays outside the recreation center. It features one vendor selling fresh produce and flowers.
Location: Outside the front entrance of the Recreation Center.
Hours: Tuesdays from June 17 to Sept. 23, 2:30 to 7 p.m.
St. Paul
Downtown
Location: 290 E. 5th St.
Hours: Saturdays from May 3 to Nov. 22, 6 a.m. to 1 p.m.; Sundays from May 4 to Nov. 23, 8 a.m. to 1 p.m.
7th Place Mall
Location: At 7th Place Mall in St. Paul
Hours: Tuesdays from June 10 to Oct. 14, 10 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.; Thursdays from June 12 to Oct. 16, 10 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.
St. Thomas More Church
Location: 1079 Summit Av.
Hours: Fridays from May 2 to Oct. 31, 1:15 to 5 p.m.
South St. Paul
Location: 1151 Southview Blvd.
Hours: Wednesdays from July 2 to Sept. 24, 3 to 6:30 p.m.
West St. Paul
Location: Signal Hills Mall, 1201 S. Robert St.
Hours: Fridays from June 13 to Oct. 31, 8 a.m. to noon.
White Bear Lake
Location: Off Hwy. 61 and 4th Street on Washington Avenue, downtown White Bear Lake.
Hours: Fridays from June 27 to Oct. 31, 8 a.m. to noon.
Woodbury
Location: 2175 Radio Drive
Hours: Sundays from June 15 to Oct. 26, 8 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Danielle Dullinger is a University of Minnesota student reporter on assignment for the Star Tribune.
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