Saratoga Farmers’ Market Association has reached an agreement with the Saratoga Spa State Park, managed by the New York State Office of Parks, Recreation, and Historic Preservation, to hold its Saturday winter market in the Saratoga Spa State Park’s historic Lincoln Baths building at 65 South Broadway, adjacent to the National Museum of Dance, beginning Saturday, November 2.
Each year from November through April on Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., the market hosts farms and vendors selling a full range of locally grown and produced items. The market will be able to accommodate dozens of vendors in approximately 7,000 square feet of space. The market’s Board is presently reviewing applications from farms and vendors to sell produce, meat, fish, dairy, eggs, baked goods, prepared foods, décor and gift items.
“We are very excited about this new location for the winter market, as it is easy to get to from downtown Saratoga, surrounding neighborhoods, and the Northway. It’s a fitting capstone to our 35th anniversary year, to move into an expanded winter market home. This new site at the state park puts the market in a historic building in a beautiful outdoor setting, which many of our customers already enjoy for weekend recreation,” notes Charles Holub, president of Saratoga Farmers’ Market Association.
“We look forward to continuing our practice of providing farm-fresh food and locally made products to the community during the colder months, and anticipate we’ll be able to host more vendors than in our past location,” says Holub. Ample parking is available in the lots surrounding the building. The building is handicap-accessible.
For the past several years, the market occupied a gymnasium and nearby hallways at the Division Street Elementary School on Saratoga’s west side. The market was forced to find a new location this year due to a legal requirement raised by the Saratoga Springs City School District concerning non-profit use of school facilities.
According to park documents, the original Lincoln Bathhouse was built in 1915 and expanded in the early 1920s. The structure subsequently was destroyed by fire and rebuilt in 1928-1930. It had various periods of inactivity during its history, underwent extensive renovations in 1989, and most recently ceased operation in 2003. Presently, sections of the Lincoln Bathhouse are used to house the regional park police offices and offices of the court system.
The market plans a grand opening in its new winter market location on Saturday, November 2, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.
During the month of October, the outdoor market at High Rock Park remains open with a wide selection of products on Wednesdays from 3-6 p.m. and Saturdays from 9 a.m.-1 p.m.
