This Week at The Market: Saturday, May 23, 2026
Rise and shine for the Downtown Farmers' Market presented by UnityPoint Health this Saturday, May 16, 2026 from 7 a.m. until Noon in the Historic Court District of Downtown Des Moines (DSM). Help Catch Des Moines ring the Opening Bell at the corner of 3rd Street and Court Avenue before exploring Market vendors, including the seven vendors highlighted below.
Vendors to Visit
Shop local at produce and ag, prepared food and winery vendors, among many others, at The Market this weekend! These vendors will be on-site to help you find fresh greens for a new recipe, . You can also check out the complete list of Market vendors for May 23 here.
- Bake Girl Bake: Try the Cookie Monster Cheesecake Cups or grab a cake bundle or two at booth 2N-12 (one for you and one to gift to a friend!). Bake Girl Bake is also now booking their Mobile Dessert Cart for spring and summer events, so if you love them at The Market, show them some love and reserve the dessert cart for your next special event!
- Cricket's Gardens: Booths C-214 and C-216 offer fresh seasonal fruits, veggies and herbs, all produced at their Guthrie County farm, as well as baked goods like sweet breads and cookies.
- Farm Story Meats: Say hello to Farm Story Meats and help welcome their farmers' market interns, Raelynn, Amiah and Cait, to booth C-410 while you shop bacon, steaks, brats and more. Their high-quality meat is raised on a small family farm in Ames.
- Lee's Farm: Lee's Farm grows their own produce, which you can find at booths 2N-01 and 2N-03. Everything from beets, lettuce and soybeans to squash and zucchini await your shopping bag!
- Queen's Pretzels: Grab some pretzel bites at booths C-416 and C-418. Known to sell out quickly, it's first-come, first serve so get there early so you don't miss out!
- The Gourmet Granola: Gluten-free. Soy-free. Dairy-free. This isn't your ordinary granola. Made in Nebraska, these granola bars can be found at booth C-218. Try the Bacon Me Crazy Granola, the Bourbon Maple Granola or the Cinnamon Vanilla Almond Granola. This granola is made in-house with no co-packers or mass produced products ... check out how they make it here!
- Vander Ploeg Bakery: Enjoy Dutch pastries, cookies, rolls and breads at booths C-108 and C-110. This Pella staple is for the ultimate pastry fan, so stop by for Vander Ploeg Bakery's best fresh baked goods at The Market!
Also, don't forget to stop by this week's Spark DSM vendors, including Ayman Mom Kitchen at booth S-1, By Creative Heart (Lippan art) at booth S-2, Daily Grind LLC (coffee and donuts) at booth S-3 and Cozy, Pls (mobile coffee and matcha cart) at booth S-4.
Schedule Highlights
This week, join presenting sponsor UnityPoint Health to visit with their Stroke Awareness team! The Mike Walsh Band, B. John Burns and others will perform as you shop, and you can find resources from Deeper Life Church and Polk County Master Gardeners at The Market's Community Corner. Special programming is courtesy of Thrasher Foundation Repair, a family-owned and operated foundation repair company.
Find the full list of entertainers and other programming here.
Plan Your Visit
Through Saturday, Oct. 31, 2026, The Market is open 7 a.m. to Noon (8 a.m. to Noon in October) every Saturday in Downtown DSM's Historic Court District. Download The Market's overview map and find out more about visiting The Market here.
This Saturday, weather is expected to be in the low 50s at 7 a.m. and low 60s by Noon as The Market wraps up. See the latest news, tips and photos on The Market's Facebook page!
Keep up with the momentum that's happening in and around Greater Des Moines (DSM) when you subscribe to one or all of the Greater Des Moines Partnership's newsletters — they're packed with the latest news, highlighting everything from upcoming events to development projects to policy updates. Join the mailing list to connect with The Partnership and help amplify stories from around the region.