In The Know

Make Gahanna Yours: Volunteers Serve the City with Farmers Market, Litter Cleanups and More

By Dan Pearlman

Fresh produce, baked goods, crafts, pet accessories and more, all grown or made in Ohio, will once again be available at the Gahanna Farmers Market this summer.

The Market, which concludes its winter season this month, will begin its spring and summer operations for its fifth year on June 7. Organizers promise the return of favorite vendors along with new ones that are sure to delight Gahanna residents.

“On average, we have about 25 vendors per summer market and that will fluctuate and grow as we can add more produce vendors as the growing season progresses,” said Cait Masarik, Market Manager.

Returning to this year’s summer market are fan favorites, including meat producer Twin Oak Farms and Quickie Dips, both of which have been staples since 2019, Cheesecake Connection Bakery, cheese vendor Ohio Farm Direct, Gahanna-based maple syrup retailer and small business Bird Brain Gardens, and more.

“I think a lot of great benefits come from the market –seeing new neighbors, seeing familiar faces while you’re out shopping, and helping to support local small businesses,” Masarik said. “We have several vendors who actually live in Gahanna or are from Gahanna like Chilljoy Frozen Eatery, a food truck that has shaved Hawaiian ice. The new owner and the previous owner were both Gahanna graduates."

The Gahanna Farmers Market is organized and operated by Make Gahanna Yours, a volunteer-based organization, which works to enhance the City with events that benefit the community. In addition to planning and hosting the Market, Make Gahanna Yours, in partnership with the City’s Parks & Recreation Department, helps beautify the Creekside District with the 35 planters that visitors of all ages enjoy. The organization also hosts litter cleanups, including one scheduled for Earth Day, on April 22, from 9 a.m. until noon.

“We try to target every area that we can, given the number of volunteers that we have, to keep our city clean and attractive,” said Donna Simmons, Treasurer of Make Gahanna Yours. “I think it’s important to the community that we do events such as the Market, our litter cleanups and so forth that bring the community together.”

As for the spring and summer Farmers Market, it will be held every Wednesday from June through September, from 4 to 7 p.m., at the Gahanna Sanctuary and in the adjacent parking lot at Town and High Streets. It will be open before Midweek at the Creek(side), so residents can pick up their items prior to enjoying food, music and more in the Creekside District. One exception will be June 14, when the Market will be closed during preparations for the annual Creekside Blues & Jazz Festival.

Both Masarik and Simmons hope to see new faces at this year’s market and for litter cleanups, not only shopping but also volunteering.

“I get to work with a group of volunteers that are passionate about Gahanna,” Simmons said. “We want to see it thrive and grow.”

For more information on the Farmers Market, litter cleanups and how to volunteer, please visit MakeGahannaYours.com. Information can also be found on the Make Gahanna Yours and Gahanna Farmers Market social media pages.