Spring has sprung at Detroit’s Eastern Market

SUSAN PINKOWSKI

When was the last time you visited Eastern Market?

Or have you never?

It’s bursting at the seams now with all kinds of vendors, farmers, artists, independent restaurants, shops and even a blues club, all spread out on 43 acres just a mile and a half east of downtown Detroit.

You can check out the directory here: https:// easternmarket.org/public/district/directory.

It’s the largest historic public market district in the country, according to the all-knowing Wikipedia. An average of 45,000 people will make their way through the market on Saturdays from spring to fall. There are a few secrets to shopping there, though, so take note!

There are farmers from all over southeast Michigan - Monroe, Stockbridge, Chesterfield, Columbus, and even Detroit – and they all have their company banners proudly displayed so you know exactly who you are dealing with.

Then, there are also a bunch of fruit and vegetable stalls that only carry the EBT logo as an identifier. These folks get their wares from the Detroit Produce Terminal south of the Ambassador Bridge on Fort Street.

This is also the place where most local restaurants and grocery stores buy their produce very early in the morning. What the restaurants and grocery stores pass on is what is then sold by all the nonfarm vendors at Eastern Market.

Another secret to successful shopping is to get there very early.

It opens at 7 a.m. when most people are still asleep on a Saturday morning. You can get in and out relatively quickly at that time. Come 10, 11 o’clock and on, that’s when the crowds show up and you haven’t seen a crowd until you’ve been to Flower Day around noon at Eastern Market. This year, it’s scheduled on Sunday, May 21 from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m.

The best kept secret about Flower Day? You can get the same deals on the Saturday before without 60,000 of your neighbors showing up with you!

Flower Day usually comes only once or twice a year, and it features vendors from the Metro Detroit

Flower Growers Association and all over the Midwest.

But this year, to help keep the crowds down, Eastern Market is offering all five Tuesdays in May where you can purchase the same flowers from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. in Sheds 5 and 6. If you can take time out of your weekday to stop by, traffic – both people and vehicles - should be much improved.

One more thing Eastern Market is doing to help cut congestion is a daily flower market in Shed 6 from Mother’s Day until Father’s Day, from sunrise to sunset.

If you really don’t want to mix with thousands of people, Eastern Market now has an online shop set up where you can order during the week and have a contactless pick up of your purchases on Saturday. Check out https://eastern.market/.

For FAQs check out https://easternmarket.org/ public/markets/things- to-know.

And for you carnivores, there are lots of options –you won’t be disappointed.

No matter when you go, it’s always an interesting and enjoyable adventure!