Arlington County Board members today (Saturday) green-lighted the operation of a weekly farmers market in the Green Valley community that will start next year.
The action, voted on as part of the board’s consent agenda of non-controversial items, will allow a local non-profit to host up to 19 vendors Fridays from 4-7 p.m. from April to Thanksgiving each year.
The market would be held at the John M. Robinson Jr. Town Square adjacent to Shirlington Road, and would bring to nearly a dozen the number of farmers’ markets operating in Arlington.
In addition to providing food options, the market would promote “culturally relevant products, information and services,” noted county staff. The county manager recommended approval.
While no roads will need to be closed to accommodate the market, several parking spaces on Shirlington Road and 24th Street South will be required. Two nearby churches — Lomax AME Zion and Macedonia Baptist — have agreed to provide overflow parking during market hours.
The market will be operated by CARE (Community Association of Resources, Education, Enrichment and Economics) Inc., a non-profit founded by civic leader Portia Clark.
Clark told ARLnow the initial plan had been to open the market last spring, but delays caused that to be pushed back to April 2025.
She said organizers were “looking forward to the opening and the opportunity to create this opportunity in our community,” and hoped to build the endeavor to provide “something for all.”
Also at the Oct. 19 meeting, County Board members renewed, for three years, the use permit that allows an open-air farmers market to operate at the Fairlington Community Center Sundays from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. from April to November.
The Fairlington operation is run by the non-profit Field to Table Inc. and operates with a maximum of 20 vendors at the back of the community center.
