Location: 4280 N. Campbell Ave., Tucson, AZ 85718

Hours: Saturdays & Sundays 8a-12p (summer) and 9a-1p (winter)

Last weekend, I got the opportunity to attend and review St. Phillip’s Plaza Artisans’ and Farmers’ Market in Tucson. Upon arrival, this place was visually adorable – concrete fountains woven between the stands, a live music performer hitting covers of Chris Stapleton and the like, and vendors of myriad ages and diversities showcasing their original products with pride. The Plaza is a city landmark for local foods, arts, wellness and shopping. It did, however, lack one of the most staple items that one would typically expect from a farmer’s market – fresh produce.

It was a disappointment to arrive at a farmer’s market to find none of the fruits and veggies that I was eager to taste. Regardless, this market had more than enough local goods for me to spend a pretty penny as I perused. Tea, jewelry, locally-made pasta, coffee, popcorn, plants, artwork, CBD and jams/jellies could be found throughout the stands. Every vendor had a unique story, and every product a cool development. The place is a vibe.

Shopping locally provides its benefits to the environment regardless of there not being any locally-grown produce available. There were plenty of vendors there whose products were made locally, and buying said products instead of your big-brand names cuts down on transportation of goods, in turn alleviating our dependence on fossil fuels, reducing air pollution, and cutting back on greenhouse gas emissions. Supporting this farmer’s market and its vendors is eco-friendly and helps local producers feed their families. The sense of community you can feel simply by being present in this space is enough to prompt you to support it.

While it’s important to keep in mind before attending that this is more of an artisan’s market than a farmer’s market, I recommend going to check it out for some local goods in the area!

Written by: Marley Decker