SLO Farmers Market

IWW639
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4 out of 5
Avg. Member Rating
5
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SLO Farmers Market

The Farmer's Market is the place to be on Thursday nights in SLO. Every Thursday night through out the year, the downtown area hosts an outdoor market/festival where local farmers sell the freshest fruits, vegetables and produce. On top of that, various local restaurants set up shop on the sidewalks with mini versions of their menus available. While you stock up on fresh produce and delicious BBQ, you can listen to live musicians on the sidestreets. There is a lot of activity that differs from week to week, so be sure to check it out if you are in SLO on Thursday night.

From journal San Luis Obispo

Editor Pick

Thursday Farmers Market

  • June 21, 2005
  • Rated 5 of 5 by btwood2 from Rodeo, New Mexico
Thursday Farmers Market

If nothing else, plan your trip to SLO to include Thursday evening. The Thursday Farmers Market experience is an integral part of SLO life and not to be missed. This gala weekly festivity began in 1983 for a combination of reasons, including an effort to discourage cruising Higuera and downtown merchants’ worries about competition from a newly opened shopping mall. What developed was beyond mosts’ wildest expectations – and goes way beyond the selling of produce. Blocked off to traffic by 5pm, Higuera Street undergoes its weekly transformation.

Veggies, berries, blooms, and more are sold by local farmers and gardeners at booths bursting with color. Produce looks as if it was picked just minutes ago, and almost as quickly, is bought up by eager customers. Mounds of large artichokes, boxes of bright red tomatoes, artistically arranged piles of spinach, lettuce, brassicas, and beets make me wistful for the days we had two refrigerators.

Smoke wafts down Higuera Street. But no fire engine sirens wail, and no buildings are burning. It’s from many massive pit barbecues along the length of Higuera, stoking up their fires to tantalize us with carnivorous fare. Though difficult, refrain from scarfing down the first delectable rib or kabob you see. There’s a wide selection, and you’ll burn off a few more calories walking Higuera debating and deciding. For our appetizer, Bob and I shared a giant turkey leg from SLO Brewing Company’s barbecue pit. We felt like Neanderthals gingerly tearing steaming meat off bone, trying not to burn our fingers. Curbside dining (literally – there are no tables or chairs) was challenging but delicious. We were glad we knew the location of the nearest semi-public restroom (downstairs at Cisco’s) to wash grease and barbecue grime off our hands and faces. Alternatively, a pocketful of wet wipes would’ve been helpful. McLintocks Saloon’s army of oak pit barbecuers puts on the best show. They grill cuts with precision, efficiently, and lots of hollering and fun. McLintock’s was our choice for dinner.

Music and dancing on the streets enlivens the atmosphere more. At least three scheduled performances highlight bigger intersections, but impromptu musicians and performers set up anywhere, with small or larger crowds gathering. My favorite, an indigenous Andean band, wasn’t there this time; in their stead was a troupe of belly dancers. A solo keyboardist and singing guitar player and drummers rounded out scheduled entertainment. A purple-shirted modern-dance troupe, Variable Velocity, danced and mimed among the crowds.

Beyond edibles, booths of all persuasions line the street, from $5 massages, face-painting, and political parties to handcrafted items, you have an interesting array of items, services, and ideas to peruse and consider. For people-watchers, it’s loads of fun observing how they handle ingesting their messy barbecued meats. The old "Wrath of God" guy with (badly) dyed black hair and sign warning sinners of impending doom is always there. A well-fed homeless guy advertises his homelessness and asks for help sandwiched between a sign. A word to dog-lovers: no canines allowed.

From journal Party Down in SLO Town

Editor Pick

SLO Farmers Market

  • March 15, 2002
  • Rated 4 of 5 by Jeffrey from Plano, Texas
SLO Farmers Market

On Thursday nights in downtown San Luis, Obisbo, vehicular traffic is blocked, and there is a Farmers Market from 6-9pm on Higuera Street. This Farmers Market is more of a festival than a place to shop...which is fine with us....we had a great time. It is like a huge block party.

During our visit, they had a special Farmers Market on Friday, instead of Thursday. I was amazed at what a festive event the market is for the locals. In addition to just fruits and vegetables, there are live bands, and open grills with food cooking everywhere. Local farmers have booths loaded with fresh fruit, vegetables, flowers, honey, spices and more in a party-like atmosphere. Additionally, many local restaurants and brewpubs set up huge Barbeques, and sell fresh and hot sandwiches and meats.

It was great fun watching the merchants get their huge grills ready for the party. The smell of burning wood and charcoal is everywhere, and you can see them bringing huge amounts of beef, chicken, sausage, and ribs to cook when the fires are ready.

The friendly locals and the laid-back atmosphere of this nice town make this type of event perfect and great fun. Well after the merchants have closed and traffic is restored, you can find the nice crowd off the streets and in the downtown bars and brewpubs.

The San Luis Obisbo Farmers Market is located downtown at Hiquera Street. To get there from north of downtown (where most hotels are), go south on Monterrey street, and on any Thursday evening, you will run into the roadblocks, which is where the fun starts.

Much better than driving (parking downtown is scarce), is to take the free downtown trolley on the very cool old-fashioned style cars of wood and brass. The trolley makes runs every 15 minutes, so it is very assessible and FREE!

From journal San Luis Obisbo

Thursday Night Farmer's Market

  • September 10, 2000
  • Rated 3 of 5 by camera-gal from Overland Park, Kansas
Become one of the locals on Thursday night and wade through the Farmer's Market. Things start 'cooking' around 6:30 PM. There's plenty to eat and plenty to see. Local farmers bring and sell fresh produce. Local performers entertain crowds. You'll feel like one of the twenty-somethings who dominate this college town.

From journal Smooth San Luis Obispo

Thursday Night Farmer's Market

  • July 26, 2000
  • Rated 4 of 5 by IWW639 from New Orleans, Louisiana
Each Thurday night the main street of San Luis Obispo, Higuera, is made into a pedestrian mall. Local growers and business set up booths and, from 6 until 10 they hawk their items to passersby. You will almost always find the booths of Mo's Bar-be-que, F. McKlintock's, roping displays by Cal Poly students, fresh flowers, and fresh fruits and vegetables, among others. There are puppet shows, bands, and local kids who try to raise money through varied performances around the market. Go hungry, because once those good food smells hit you, you are going to want to eat!

From journal The SLO life

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