The Colorado Farm and Art Market is devoted to nurturing relationships between consumers and local producers of farm products, value-added food items, and fine crafts and art through the operation of cooperative urban markets. The organization also seeks to grow community across urban and rural boundaries and promote and sustain local and regional economies.
The market was formed in 2004 by a group of small family farmers in the Arkansas Valley Watershed who employ sustainable farming practices. These farmers wanted to create a venue where they could sell local, sustainably grown product, develop direct relationships with their customers, and over which they could have some control. All other markets in the Springs were (and still are) sole proprietorships. These farmers had a goal of creating a farmers market that promoted local agriculture while building and nurturing relationships between consumers and local producers.
The market started on Wednesday evenings at America the Beautiful Park in conjunction with the “Gettin’ Down in Downtown” summer concert series. In 2006, CFAM expanded to the Briargate area, first at the shopping complex near Salsa Bravo, and moving the the Margarita at Pine Creek in 2008. The site at the Margarita at PineCreek remains a festive destination for Saturday shoppers, and Colorado Farm and Art Market will continue to grow that market.
In 2011, the Colorado Farm and Art Market moved the Wednesday markets to the Colorado Springs Fine Arts C ... view more »
The Colorado Farm and Art Market is devoted to nurturing relationships between consumers and local producers of farm products, value-added food items, and fine crafts and art through the operation of cooperative urban markets. The organization also seeks to grow community across urban and rural boundaries and promote and sustain local and regional economies.
The market was formed in 2004 by a group of small family farmers in the Arkansas Valley Watershed who employ sustainable farming practices. These farmers wanted to create a venue where they could sell local, sustainably grown product, develop direct relationships with their customers, and over which they could have some control. All other markets in the Springs were (and still are) sole proprietorships. These farmers had a goal of creating a farmers market that promoted local agriculture while building and nurturing relationships between consumers and local producers.
The market started on Wednesday evenings at America the Beautiful Park in conjunction with the “Gettin’ Down in Downtown” summer concert series. In 2006, CFAM expanded to the Briargate area, first at the shopping complex near Salsa Bravo, and moving the the Margarita at Pine Creek in 2008. The site at the Margarita at PineCreek remains a festive destination for Saturday shoppers, and Colorado Farm and Art Market will continue to grow that market.
In 2011, the Colorado Farm and Art Market moved the Wednesday markets to the Colorado Springs Fine Arts Center. CFAM enjoyed the central downtown location but felt they were not able to establish the destination type feel of the Saturday markets. In 2013, CFAM joined up with the Ivywild School on South Cascade Avenue. This destination market had parking troubles, with extremely limited parking available on market days, which made market attendance difficult to those not within walking or biking distance of the market and once again, CFAM was searching for a perfect Wednesday location.
Since its inception, Colorado Farm and Art Market has been committed to a downtown location, believing that the downtown area should remain a vibrant economic and social center of the community, and that people who live and work there should be able to shop for fresh, locally grown food within walking and biking distance.
In 2016, the Wednesday market was moved to a fantastic downtown location: the grounds of the Colorado Springs Pioneer’s Museum. 2017 saw the addition of a Sunday winter market at the Cottonwood Center for the Arts. CFAM is thrilled to bring the unique market into downtown again!
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