Eastside Farmers' Market

Eastside Farmers' Market presents itself through an explicit mission-driven frame, pairing its vendor roster with sections for “Our Story,” “Our Mission,” sponsorship, and board contact rather than treating the market as just a weekly sales stop. In Madison, that mission takes shape as a Tuesday market at McPike Park, where growers, bakers, prepared-food makers, and service vendors gather from late April through late October. The mix ranges from certified organic vegetables and native plants to bike repairs and compost collection, giving the market a distinctly east-side profile rooted in food access, practical errands, and local production.

Why it matters locally

McPike Park has anchored this market since its return to the “new and improved” park in 2016, after Wil-Mar Neighborhood Center hosted it from 2010 through 2015 during the build-out of Madison’s Central Park, later renamed McPike Park in 2018. That history ties the market closely to the east side rather than to a generic parking-lot setup.

The market’s local role also shows up in who helps shape it: Willy Street Coop initially sponsored it, Wil-Mar organized earlier years, and the current site is described as conveniently located off the E. Washington corridor and the East side bike path. Board and manager listings place named people behind the operation, including market managers Katie Ankowicz and Allison Lindsey.

What you'll find there

The vendor mix leans hard into produce and pantry staples, then stretches outward into plants, prepared foods, and useful weekly services. You can build a dinner here, stock bread and cheese for later, and handle a few east-side chores in the same stop.

• -Find pasture- and free-range natural meats from Bauman’s Natural Meats, with animals raised on homegrown feed and processed locally.
• -Pick up honey from Berna’s Bees.
• -Look for raspberries, asparagus, and concord grapes from Blue Skies Farm, grown with organic and bio-dynamic methods.
• -Bring home gourmet mushrooms, salad greens, and seasonal produce from Clark Family Gardens LLC.
• -Stop at Curbside Bicycles for same-day bike tune-ups and repairs at its pop-up repair shop.
• -Shop Down Home Farm for high-tunnel peaches, apples, garlic, sorghum, and old fashioned sorghum syrup.
• -Choose certified organic grains, vegetables, and flowers from Emerald Meadows/Badger Organics.
• -Add Wisconsin garden plants from Eric’s Prairie, a native plant nursery.
• -Buy cheese from Farmer Johns' Cheese, made from milk produced on the family farm.
• -Grab small-batch cookies, oatmeal cream pies, banana bread, and other baked goods from Good Idea Bakery.
• -Explore tea blends and herbal salve from Isabella Natural Herb Farm LLC.
• -Stock up on sourdoughs, biscuits, cookies, and savory snacks from KNEAD Bakery.
• -Shop certified organic vegetables and herbs from Lovefood LLC.
• -Pour a fermented drink from Mr. T’s Kombucherie.
• -Take home naturally leavened, long-fermented loaves from ORIGIN Breads, baked with Wisconsin-grown, stone-milled organic wheat and grains.
• -Plant for pollinators with Prairie Fairy Native Plants.
• -Browse yarn and wool goods from Rainbow Fleece Farm, which also runs an on-site woolen mill and yarn shop.
• -Pick up certified organic food from Roots Down Community Farm.
• -Try nixtamalized organic corn tortillas and related products from Tortillas Los Angeles.
• -Compare Mediterranean dips and foods from Warm Belly Farm and Yalla Dips.
• -Cook with sustainably grown vegetables from V. Yang Produce.

The weekly Tuesday market runs through the April 28 to October 27, 2025 season. What stands out here is how many vendors connect food shopping to the living systems around it. Blue Skies Farm brings raspberries, asparagus, and concord grapes grown with organic and bio-dynamic methods, while Prairie Fairy Native Plants and Eric’s Prairie focus on native plants for Wisconsin gardeners and pollinator support. That thread continues with Green Box Compost and Sustain Dane, which provides compost collection every week at the market. Even the setting supports that practical, low-car rhythm: the market is located off the East side bike path and near the E. Washington corridor, and one vendor is literally a pop-up bicycle repair shop offering same-day tune-ups.

Know before you go

No dogs are allowed, which is the clearest rule likely to change how some shoppers plan a Tuesday stop. The market takes place at McPike Park, with the listed address at 202 S Ingersoll Street, and street parking is available along Ingersoll, East Main Street, and nearby blocks. The site is also described as conveniently located off the E. Washington corridor and the East side bike path, which makes bike access a practical option alongside street parking. Restrooms are not available on-site, so this is a market to approach as a focused errand rather than a long stay.

Payments & SNAP

SNAP/EBT is accepted at Eastside Farmers' Market. Payment methods are clearly posted, which helps when you’re splitting a stop between produce, bread, prepared foods, and service vendors such as bike repair or compost collection.