The East End Food Market, the winter farmer’s market in Riverhead, will be open year-round.
The market has seen tremendous success since opening on Main Road in Riverhead over Thanksgiving weekend, said Kate Fullam, executive director of the East End Food Institute. The opening day saw over 1,000 attendees and Fullam said that the market typically sees between 700 and 900 customers a week.
To accommodate the interest and enthusiasm from the community, the market will be open Wednesdays and Fridays from 3 to 7 p.m. starting in May.
“The parking lot is pretty full,” Fullam said. “It’s a good problem to have. But we also feel like we’re missing the people that maybe work in Riverhead, or are there during the week. And during the summertime, people will be able to shop a little bit more frequently for fresh items by having it a couple times a week.”
The East End Food Market has a large number of vendors, including those that participate every weekend and rotating businesses that want to test the market out before making a weekly commitment.
“It not only provides the vendors the opportunity to try it out, but it also gives variation to the customers,” Fullam said.
And it’s not just food.
Long Island Wine Country has sponsored three booths, with different wineries participating each week. Attendees will also find a rotating booth of nonprofit organizations such as Cornell Cooperative Extension, Peconic Land Trust and more, as well as art exhibits from East End Arts Council.
The market, formerly the Riverhead Indoor Farmer’s Market, had an outdoor summertime market along the Peconic Riverfront in its infancy. This is the first time since then it has been open beyond early spring. The market was closed in 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The East End Food Market is located at 139 Main Road, Riverhead, at the corner of Main Road and Route 105.
