This Week at The Market: Saturday, Oct. 3, 2026
New hours have arrived to the Downtown Farmers’ Market presented by UnityPoint Health!
Beginning Saturday, Oct. 3, The Market will be open from 8 a.m. until Noon for the next five Saturdays. Join Opening Bell Ringer Rachelle Keck, Grand View University President, at 8 a.m. at the corner of 3rd Street and Court Avenue in Downtown Des Moines (DSM).
Vendors to Visit
Check out seven recommended vendors before you visit The Market this weekend, or find the complete list of Market vendors for Oct. 3 here.
- Bubble Tea Kups: You've got to try the bubble tea at booth C-315. There are so many flavors to choose from as well as Asian cookies, bubble waffles and more.
- Domestic Bones: For some savory hand pies, head to booth 5N-01! Try options like the Bacon Hashbrown, the Chicken Chili or the gluten-free Spinach Feta.
- Grade A Gardens: All the produce you need is available at booths C-200 and C-202. Grade A Gardens will also host the finale for their dinner series where you can enjoy a seven-course meal by seven of Iowa’s best chefs! Sign up for the Oct. 18 event here.
- Hoffmann Farm and Forage: Fall colors are at The Market at booth C-122. Chef Andrew Hoffman will also be part of The Harvest Dinner mentioned above.
- Ladie Lex Scented Candles: Check out fall and winter scents at booth C-309, including Macintosh Apple, Bourbon Street, Pine Cones, Winter Cabin, Banana Nut Bread and more.
- Meadowlark Farm: At booths 4S-38, 4S-40 and 4S-42, Meadowlark Farm will serve up the Bagel of the Week. Order your farm-to-Market breakfast this Saturday!
- Pickle Creek Herbs: Check out the herbs, berries, peppers and more from booth 4N-05.This Iowa farm uses original family recipes!
- Savaj Gardens: Enjoy hot sauces, BBQ sauces, fresh salsa and seasonings that are small-batch and Iowa-grown in Mahaska County at booth C-305.
You won't want to miss this week's Spark DSM Vendors either. Located on Court Avenue between Second and Third Streets, check out Baking it With Keesh, MIXXT Premium Sea Moss Gel & Juice and Rachel Reloaded.
Schedule Highlights
Presenting sponsor UnityPoint Health will have team members from the IMMC Surgery Center onsite, and you won’t want to miss live entertainment from Sean Gabrielson, Lani and more. A full list of entertainers and other programming is available here.
Plan Your Visit
Through Saturday, Oct. 31, 2026, The Market is open 8 a.m. to Noon 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, temps are expected to be in the low 50s at 8 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.