Saturday morning, Kerrytown, 7 AM sharp. The market is a 100-plus year tradition in Ann Arbor – the second oldest continuously operating public market in Michigan – and it runs like a well-oiled machine. More than 130 Michigan vendors, every one of them selling what they grew or made themselves. No resellers. No middle men. Here’s how to make the most of it, plus verified 2026 schedules for the other farmers markets around Washtenaw County.
Hours and Season
The market operates year-round on two schedules:
January through April: Saturdays only, 8 AM to 3 PM. This is the winter market – smaller, heavy on root vegetables, stored apples, meat, eggs, cheese, and baked goods.
May through December: Wednesdays and Saturdays, 7 AM to 3 PM. This is the full market. The Wednesday market runs May 6 through December 23 and is quieter and locals-heavy. Saturday is the main event.
The address is 315 Detroit Street in the Kerrytown district, right off North Fourth Avenue.
Regular schedule: Sat 7 AM-3 PM (May-Dec), Sat 8 AM-3 PM (Jan-Apr), Wed 7 AM-3 PM (May 6-Dec 23). Verified 13 Sep 2026.
What to Buy (and When)
This is a producer-only market, so everything follows Michigan’s growing season. Knowing what’s peaking when is the difference between a good haul and a great one.
Spring (May – June): Asparagus, ramps, morel mushrooms (if you’re early), strawberries, radishes, lettuce, spring onions, bedding plants, and flower starts. The plant vendors sell out fast – if you want heirloom tomato starts, be there at 7 AM.
Summer (July – August): Sweet corn, tomatoes by the bushel, peaches, blueberries, green beans, peppers, fresh herbs, cut flowers. This is peak market. The tomato vendors alone will fill half your bag.
Fall (September – November): Apples (easily 15 varieties), pears, winter squash, pumpkins, root vegetables, cider, and late-season greens. Apple cider donuts from the orchard vendors are a non-negotiable.
Winter (December – April): Stored root vegetables, dried beans, meat, poultry, eggs, cheese, maple syrup, honey, bread, pastries, preserves, and hot prepared food. Smaller but still worth the trip.
Beyond produce, the market has year-round vendors selling Great Lakes fish, pastured meat and poultry, fresh bread, jam, pickles, hot sauce, spices, coffee, tea, mead, prepared foods, candles, body care products, ceramics, textiles, and jewelry.
Parking – Here’s the Deal
Parking is the one thing that stresses people out about the market. Here’s your actual playbook:
Free parking is available in the market lot – first come, first served. On Wednesdays, you’ll usually find a spot. On Saturdays from May to November, forget about it unless you arrive before 7:30 AM.
Paid parking garages: Ann and Ashley structure (315 W Ann St) and Fourth and Washington structure (320 W Washington St) are both within a 5-minute walk. These are the reliable Saturday option.
Metered street parking: The Community High School lot on Fifth Avenue, plus lots at Fourth and Catherine, Ann and Main, and First and Huron all have metered spots. Hit or miss on Saturdays.
Bike: Bike racks are on Fourth Avenue, Fifth Avenue, and Detroit Street. A seasonal bike corral sets up on Fifth Avenue in front of Sweetwaters Coffee. This is genuinely the best way to get to the market on a Saturday.
Sweetwaters Kerrytown (407 N Fifth Ave) regular hours: Mon-Sat 6:30 AM-10 PM, Sun 8 AM-10 PM. Verified 13 Sep 2026.
How to Navigate
The market is laid out under an open-air shelter with vendors on both sides of the aisle. Peak flow moves counterclockwise, but there’s no official direction – just follow the crowd.
First lap: Walk the entire market without buying anything. See what’s available, compare prices, note which vendors have the best-looking produce. The market is big enough that impulse-buying on your first pass means a full bag before you’re halfway through.
Second lap: Buy. Start with the fragile stuff – berries, tomatoes, lettuce – and work toward the heavy items. Bread and baked goods sell out early, so grab those on your first pass if you see something you want.
Bring your own bags. Vendors have bags, but a good tote or two makes the haul easier.
Bring cash. Most vendors take it, and it’s faster. For credit cards, debit, SNAP/EBT, and mobile pay, buy market tokens at the market office trailer. The token system also supports Double Up Food Bucks, which match SNAP spending dollar-for-dollar on Michigan-grown fruits and vegetables.
Sunday at the Same Pavilion: The Artisan Market
If you come back on Sunday, the same Kerrytown pavilion fills with a different crowd. The Sunday Artisan Market brings as many as 60 local artists and makers selling original, handmade work – jewelry, ceramics, textiles, prints, woodwork, and more. It is a separate market from the food market, same address, and a good pairing with a Kerrytown brunch.
Regular schedule: Sundays 11 AM-4 PM, April 12-December 20, 2026. Verified 13 Sep 2026.
The Kerrytown District
The market sits inside the Kerrytown district, which is worth exploring before or after your market run. Within a two-block radius:
Kerrytown Market & Shops is the indoor market building right next to the farmers market shed. It houses specialty food shops, a fish market, and rotating vendors, and it is open year-round – a warm place to duck into on a cold winter-market Saturday.
Zingerman’s Delicatessen is across the street on Detroit Street. The line on Saturday morning wraps around the building. It’s worth it. The corned beef sandwich is the one. Get there early or accept a wait.
Zingerman’s Delicatessen (422 Detroit St) regular hours: daily 11 AM-7 PM. Verified 13 Sep 2026.
No Thai! Kerrytown is right in the Kerrytown shops building. Solid lunch option after the market – noodle bowls, curries, and spring rolls.
No Thai! Kerrytown (226 N Fourth Ave) regular hours: Mon-Sat 11 AM-10 PM, Sun 12-9 PM. Verified 13 Sep 2026.
Kerrytown Concert House hosts intimate live music and performance events. Its concert season runs September through June, so check the calendar if you’re making an evening of the Kerrytown visit.
Kerrytown Concert House (415 N Fourth Ave) box office hours: Tue-Fri 12-5 PM; event nights vary. Verified 13 Sep 2026.
Vendor Highlights
The market has 130-plus vendors and the mix shifts seasonally. A few things worth knowing about the people behind the tables:
The multi-generation farm families are the backbone. Some vendors are third, fourth, and fifth generation farmers selling at this market. You’ll notice the same family names year after year – that continuity is what makes this market different from a pop-up or seasonal market.
Produce vendors typically cluster at one end, with meat, cheese, and baked goods in the middle, and prepared food and artisan goods at the far end. The prepared food vendors – empanadas, tamales, pastries, coffee – make the market a breakfast destination, not just a shopping trip.
Other Farmers Markets Around Washtenaw County
The Ann Arbor market is the big one, but it is not the only game in the county. Every schedule below was verified with the market or its city on 13 September 2026. Days and seasons shift year to year, so these are the ones to trust this season.
Westside Farmers’ Market is the closest alternative to downtown, and it is a Thursday-evening ritual on the west side. It sets up in the Zingerman’s Roadhouse parking lot at 2501 Jackson Avenue (corner of Jackson and North Maple, not at Westgate). It is a short, produce-focused season.
Regular schedule: Thursdays 3-7 PM, roughly mid-July through late September (2026 season ends Sep 25). Verified 13 Sep 2026.
Ypsilanti Farmers Market is about 15 minutes east and run by Growing Hope at MarketPlace Hall, 16 S Washington Street in downtown Ypsilanti. It runs a main Saturday market plus a summer Tuesday-evening market.
Regular schedule: Sat 9 AM-1 PM (May 16-Oct 31); Tue 3-7 PM (Jun 2-Aug 25). Verified 13 Sep 2026.
Chelsea Farmers Market anchors a great half-day trip west on Old US-12. The Saturday market sets up at Palmer Commons, 304 S Main Street, and there is a companion Wednesday market in season.
Regular schedule: Sat 8 AM-1 PM (May-Oct); Wed 10 AM-3 PM (Bushel Basket market). Verified 13 Sep 2026.
Saline Farmers Market runs year-round, moving indoors for winter. The outdoor market is at 100 S Ann Arbor Street (municipal lot 4); the winter market moves to Liberty School at 7265 Saline Ann Arbor Road.
Regular schedule: Sat 8 AM-12 PM outdoors (May-Oct); Sat 9 AM-1 PM indoors at Liberty School (Nov-Apr). Verified 13 Sep 2026.
Dexter Farmers Market celebrates its 20th year in 2026 at its covered site in historic downtown Dexter, with a second weekday market at Monument Park in summer.
Regular schedule: Sat 8 AM-1 PM (May-Oct); Tue 11 AM-3 PM at Monument Park (Jun-Sep). Verified 13 Sep 2026.
Manchester Farmers Market is the smallest and farthest of the group, a Thursday-afternoon market on Adrian Street in downtown Manchester, worth folding into a drive through the county’s southwest corner.
Regular schedule: Thursdays 3-6 PM, mid-May to mid-October. Verified 13 Sep 2026.
Tips for First-Timers
Arrive at 7 AM on Saturdays during peak season if you want the best selection. By 9 AM, the popular items – morels in spring, first-of-season tomatoes in July, cider donuts in fall – are gone.
Wednesdays are the local’s market. Same vendors, half the crowd, and parking is easy. If your schedule allows it, this is the better day to shop.
Talk to the vendors. They grew it. They know how to cook it. Ask what’s good this week and you’ll get an honest answer and probably a recipe.
Dress for the weather. The market is outdoors under a roof but open on the sides. In January, that means layers. In July, sunscreen and a hat.
Budget $30-50 for a solid haul. You’ll walk away with a week’s worth of produce, a loaf of bread, and probably some flowers.
Close
The Ann Arbor Farmers Market is one of the best things about living in this town – or visiting it. Between the flagship Saturday market, the Sunday Artisan Market, and seven more markets across the county, there is fresh, local food within a short drive nearly every day the season is open. Find more Kerrytown-area businesses and local food spots on miannarbor.com.
