Beaverdale Farmers Market

Beaverdale Farmers Market ties its identity to a healthier community and a resilient food system, giving this Tuesday market a mission-forward frame alongside its weekly shopping rhythm. In Des Moines, it runs on Tuesdays from early June to mid-September in the Franklin Junior High West Parking Lot on Franklin Avenue, creating a short, regular window for neighborhood food shopping in the middle of the week. The market also layers in live music every week during the season, so the visit is built around more than quick errands alone. For shoppers who want a weeknight stop rather than a Saturday marathon, that combination is the clearest draw.

Why it matters locally

This market has been part of Beaverdale since 2012, when it launched at Beaverdale Park on Adams Avenue before later operating next to Boesen the Florist and then moving to the Franklin Junior High site. That local continuity is paired with support from Polk County Community Grants, which the market credits for continuous support since 2014.

Its local role also includes food-access work. Beaverdale Farmers Market partners with Iowa Healthiest State to offer SNAP/EBT customers Double Up Food Bucks, a program the market notes has been in place since 2017. The market also highlights Eat Greater Des Moines, an organization focused on food access and sustainability in Greater Des Moines through efforts including a Food Rescue Program and community gardens.

What you'll find there

The strongest documented throughline here is programming rather than a published vendor roster: each market week is paired with live music, and much of the season also includes a children’s activity offering. That gives the market a clear weeknight pattern for shoppers who want food shopping with a built-in stay-awhile element.

• -Catch live music from Big Joe Kinzer on June 16.
• -Browse while Jeff Stagg performs on June 23.
• -Hear Asphalt and Stained Glass during the July 7 market.
• -Spend part of the evening with Tom Hofer on July 28.
• -See the PBS Children’s Activity Program scheduled during the June 16 market.
• -Find the PBS Children’s Activity Program again on August 25.

Weekly live music runs from June 2 to September 15, and the calendar lists named performers across the season including Randy Burk, Mia Prosperi & Friends, Chris Powell, Mio Legaspi & Rutabaga, and Nathan Thiessen.

Know before you go

No dogs is the policy here, which is the detail most likely to change how you plan the trip. The market is held in the Franklin Junior High West Parking Lot on Franklin Avenue, with parking tied directly to that school lot location rather than a park or street-fair setup. The listed address is 4100 Urbandale Avenue, and the market is also described as operating in the Franklin Junior High parking lot on the north and west side of the building.

Timing matters because this is a once-a-week market on Tuesdays from 4 to 7 p.m., not a daily stand or weekend event. One visitor described it as “a nice market for the middle of the week,” which fits the market’s Tuesday evening cadence. Restrooms are not listed among visitor amenities.

Payments & SNAP

SNAP/EBT is accepted at Beaverdale Farmers Market. The market also partners with Iowa Healthiest State to provide Double Up Food Bucks for SNAP/EBT customers, extending the reach of food dollars beyond a standard swipe-only setup. Payment methods are presented clearly by the market, which helps when you are planning a quick Tuesday stop.