Winter Farmers Market by Grow Oak Ridge

Winter Farmers Market by Grow Oak Ridge is part of a broader food-access mission that reaches beyond a Saturday shopping trip. Grow Oak Ridge describes its work as serving the public through farmers markets, community gardens, and education, and it operates as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit. In Oak Ridge, that mission takes shape as an indoor winter market at Roane State Community College, running when many outdoor markets are off the calendar. The result is a December-through-March market with a clear civic purpose: keeping local food, grower sales, and food-learning programs active through the colder months.

Why it matters locally

Grow Oak Ridge ties this market to year-round food work in Oak Ridge, not just seasonal vending. The organization operates farmers markets, manages the Grow & Learn Community Garden, and runs education programs aimed at helping families grow and use their own food. That local frame is reinforced by partnerships with groups such as Grow Appalachia, Oak Ridge Public Library, UT Extension, and Anderson County Master Gardeners.

The market also connects to direct food support. Grow Oak Ridge notes that a portion of proceeds benefits the Fresh fridge food pantry at the Family Justice Center. Programs around the market include free vegetable tastings and $5 in Produce Bucks for kids through the Free Nourish Kids Club, adding another concrete link between shopping and food access in Oak Ridge.

What you'll find there

This indoor winter market emphasizes goods made, baked, or grown by the people selling them. Grow Oak Ridge requires vendors to be the producer of their products, and its vendor information specifically notes filled categories that include meat sellers and bakers, which helps sketch the market’s winter mix.

• -Find producer-grown goods from vendors who must grow their own products to sell here.
• -Shop baked goods from market bakers; that category is established enough that Grow Oak Ridge notes it is filled unless a seller brings something new.
• -Pick up meats from meat sellers, another category the market identifies as filled.
• -Look for vendor-made items, since Grow Oak Ridge invites sellers who make it, bake it, or grow it and does not allow reselling.

Winter market programming can include live music, Arts at the Market events for children, and Kids Arts Programs.

Know before you go

No dogs is the rule most likely to affect a visit plan. The market is held indoors at Roane State Community College, at 323 Vermont Avenue, which makes it a winter option with more weather protection than an open-air setup. Free parking and free entry are both offered for the Winter Farmers Market.

If you care about how vendors are selected, Grow Oak Ridge uses a producer-only standard: sellers must make, bake, or grow what they bring, and reselling is not allowed. The organization also offers market reminders for Winter Farmers' Market updates, alongside its other market communications. Beyond routine shopping, some market dates host children’s arts activities or live music, so the feel can vary from one Saturday to the next.

Payments & SNAP

SNAP/EBT is accepted at the Winter Farmers Market. Grow Oak Ridge also states that it doubles SNAP benefits up to $20 per day for fresh fruits and vegetables through its Double Up Food Bucks program. That combination makes this market useful for shoppers planning around nutrition benefits as well as for anyone looking to keep winter food spending with local producers.