Waco Downtown Farmers Market

Waco Downtown Farmers Market centers its work on a clear mission: operating welcoming, diverse markets that support local farmers and small businesses, expand access to healthy affordable food, and add education and wellness activities to the weekly routine in Waco. The Saturday market now gathers at Bridge Street Plaza in East Waco, giving the market a regular home for year-round shopping and programming. That combination of food access, small-business support, and wellness programming shapes the experience here more than a simple produce stop.

Why it matters locally

Bridge Street Plaza in East Waco is more than a new pin on the map for this market; it is the site where the market continues its mission of supporting local farmers and small businesses while increasing access to healthy affordable food in Waco. The market also ties food shopping to education and wellness activities, making those programs part of the regular Saturday schedule rather than separate special events.

The market’s local role also shows up in its collaborations. It works with Creative Waco and the Asian Leaders Network on larger community events, including cultural programming such as the Lunar New Year Festival. It is also working with Mobilize Waco to develop creative ADA accessibility solutions at the market.

What you'll find there

The strongest through-line here is not a published vendor roster but a market format built around local farmers, small businesses, and weekly programming at Bridge Street Plaza. The market’s own materials emphasize the setting and recurring activities more than individual stall listings.

• -Find local farmers and small businesses as the market’s core focus.
• -Catch free weekly wellness activities during the Saturday market.
• -Hear live entertainment as part of the regular market setup.

The market also hosts larger cultural events at times, including a Lunar New Year Festival created with collaborators.

Know before you go

The most useful planning detail is the move to Bridge Street Plaza in East Waco, where the plaza lawn offers a safer place for children and pets than the market’s earlier courthouse parking lot setup. Dogs are welcome, and the plaza includes a doggie clean up station.

Parking is widely available and free on nearby streets, with customers encouraged to park along Bridge Street between Myrtle and Mann Streets if they have limited mobility or related access needs. The market is also working with Mobilize Waco on ADA accessibility improvements. Restroom options on market days include portapotties and handwashing stations. The market also encourages customers to park and explore businesses along the Elm Avenue corridor, and the Suspension Bridge offers a pedestrian connection across the river, including a protected crosswalk on MLK.

Payments & SNAP

SNAP is accepted at the market, and Double Up Food Bucks and the WIC Farmers Market Nutrition Program continue at Bridge Street Plaza. The market also operates a token system at the Welcome Booth, which is the key on-site detail if you are planning to use market payment programs.