This Week at The Market: Saturday, Sept. 26, 2026
This weekend's Downtown Farmers' Market presented by UnityPoint Health is sure to be an epic one, with special events and hundreds of vendors ready to welcome you on Saturday, Sept. 26, 2026. Did you know Saturday is Johnny Appleseed Day, celebrating Johnny Appleseed's birthday? The Market is your chance to celebrate the man who established apple orchards in the Midwest by buying local apples!
Not only that but this weekend promises to be truly special with The Market offering not one, but THREE Bouquet Workshops at The Stuffed Olive in Historic Court District. Arrange your own bouquet for free (and take it home for just $35 ... and enjoy a drink of choice from The Stuffed Olive!). With classes at 11:15 a.m., 12:30 p.m. and 1:45 p.m., there's no excuse to miss out on this awesome floral opportunity.
Vendors to Visit
Fresh apples and locally grown flowers are must-buys this weekend! Check out seven recommended vendors before you visit The Market, or find the complete list of Market vendors for Sept. 26 here.
- Barb's Garden & Pantry: Apple cider donuts, apple butter, apple jelly ... It's easy to celebrate apples when visiting booths C-204 and C-206. I mean, do these look delicious or what?
- Grade A Gardens: Along with apples, Grade A Gardens is the spot to find chemical-free fall produce. Stop by booths C-200 and C-202 to fill your Market bag.
- Oakview Produce: Find homegrown produce including a variety of apples at booth C-420.
- PepperHarrow Farm: At booths 4S-09 and 4S-11, grab a takeaway jar bouquet — isn't this one pretty? — or a dried or fresh lavender bouquet this Saturday!
- Stella's Gardens: Visit Stella's Gardens at booths 2N-05 and 2N-07 for seasonal flower bouquets with Iowa grown cut flowers.
- Storybook Orchard: Booths 4S-39, 4S-41 and 4S-43 offer orchard produce, apples and more. If you visit their main location in Story City, you'll have your pick of fresh apples and pumpkins to choose from!
- Timeless Prairie Orchard: Grab a 1/2 gallon of apple cider or a variety of apples from this Winthrop orchard. They're at booth C-311 for the rest of the Market season.
You won't want to miss this week's Spark DSM Vendors either. Located on Court Avenue between Second and Third Streets, check out By Creative Heart and YoJunKun Japanese Cuisine.
Schedule Highlights
Get to The Market early as Joe Gonzalez with the Latino Heritage Festival rings the Opening Bell at the corner of 3rd Street and Court Avenue at 7 a.m.! Iowa's Latino Heritage Festival is the largest celebration of Latino culture in Iowa — don't miss it Sept. 26 and 27 in Western Gateway Park.
Later at The Market, join presenting sponsor UnityPoint Health to visit team members from the UnityPoint Clinic. Live entertainment from Azymth 432, Urbandale Community Adult Band and more will perform as you shop. A full list of entertainers and other programming is available 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, rain is expected with temps in the high 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!
Don't forget that next weekend marks the beginning of The Market's new October hours. Visit from 8 a.m. until Noon on Oct. 3, Oct. 10, Oct. 17, Oct. 24 and Oct. 31!
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