A Guide to Hamilton County’s Farmers Markets

While conducting my research for this article, I got a chance to visit four of Hamilton County’s fully-functioning farmers’ markets, and what immediately struck me was how family-friendly the Carmel Summer Farmers Market is. 

All of them accommodate children, of course, but with a robust selection of live performers that entertain market-goers as they shop for goods and indulge in piping hot pupusas, absolutely-stuffed arepas, and either some local coffee, courtesy of Indie Coffee Roasters, chai at the hands of Raji over at Aahaa Chai, or a refreshing, good-for-you juice from the guys over at The Live Project, kids are made to feel right at home at this market. I’ve seen them dance near the steps outside the Payne & Mencias Palladium and emerge from the market with a face full of Nutella and whipped cream, courtesy of a sweet treat from The Walking Waffle Company where you can not only buy a waffle to sustain you as you stroll through the market, but even grab a 6-pack to go: perfect for gifting, but equally perfect for making at home once the season’s over and those cravings hit. 

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The market gets crowded, and FAST — park either at the Tarkington’s public parking garage or, like we do, park at one of the many retail complexes near the market and amble on over. The Kroger parking lot is a great place to find easy, accessible parking, and the stroll over will prime your stomach and get you ready to eat all the goodies you can find.

Bathrooms are located inside the Allied Solutions Center for the Performing Arts, making sure you never have to worry about emergencies. If you do use a mobility device, I’d recommend getting to the market closer to 8-9 am, as it tends to get busy by 10 am, making it very hard to maneuver with a wheelchair, walker, or any other device due to the crowds. 

Oriented like a race track, there’s both an outer circle and an inner circle of vendors, so make sure to traverse both paths before calling it a morning! You can’t go wrong with most of the food found at the market, but if you’re like me and want to be prepared, check the market’s website to know what all is on offer, and stay updated with the market’s very-active Instagram account, which not only shouts out businesses to watch for each weekend, but also can keep you up-to-date with any vendors that might be taking a break for the upcoming market. 

There is so, so much about the Fishers Farmers Market to win you over — and keep you coming back for more! Be it the vast diversity of vendors at the market, the spacious grounds that make the market easy to navigate, or the extra half-hour — Fishers closes up shop at noon, while Carmel cuts off at 11:30 am — for you to grab an early lunch or get your hands on that one last goodie before you head out, Fishers hits the jackpot in so many ways. Not to mention, just like Carmel, they also feature live music and entertainment and are extremely family-friendly. Especially if you have an infant or young child — as some of my friends do — navigating the Fishers Farmer’s Market with a stroller is no problemo. 

Located at the Nickel Plate District Amphitheater, I love that the Market celebrates a different day or initiative almost every week, and even helps you start the morning off right with an 8 a.m., free-of-cost, low-impact workout class and fitness session, no prior experience necessary! The class is hosted on the Amp stage, making it easy to find, and really all you need is a can-do attitude, a pair of comfy socks and sneakers, and your very own yoga mat. Of course, while we recommend bringing a bottle of water as temperatures start to soar, it’s equally convenient that the market takes place on the same grounds, allowing you to grab one of the many stalls’ cooling refreshments post-workout.

Make sure you grab a glance at the market’s list of vendors — while some of them are staples to the market, others pop in and out, all of which are available at the link shared above. 

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The Fishers Farmers Market is one of the most ADA-friendly I’ve seen. For starters, there is a massive section of Accessible Parking, located right near the stage, and mobility devices are permitted and welcome. Consequently, being located in the middle of so many district buildings and offices means that restrooms aren’t hard to find, and the Pavilion, located in the center of the Amphitheater, has all sorts of resources to keep you and your kids hydrated, healthy, and happy as you enjoy the market.

Since the Market offers free fitness classes from 8-9 am every week, live music and entertainment only kicks off at 10 and keeps you moving and grooving til noon. So if you’re planning on taking your child and doing a bit of bopping around yourself, feel free to show up leisurely, as entertainment is reserved for the second half of the market time. For more information, stay updated with the Market’s Instagram page.

Noblesville Main Street Farmers Market is a novelty to the farmers’ market scene. Perhaps not the newest kid on the block, but if you’ve been keeping up with Hamilton County’s rapid developments over the past year or so — or have been living in it — you’ve probably noticed that almost every week, a new spot opens up in Noblesville, if not two or three. Oftentimes, it’s been a brunch spot, like the new Bocado or the Asian-inspired Cafe Noricha that can’t be restricted to any particular genre (and perhaps therein is where their strength lies), while other times, it’s been a beloved brand expanding and Noblesville being their latest target: the Italian favorite, Convivio, ring a bell for anybody?  

Regardless, it seems like everyone’s got their eye set on Noblesville, and as someone with some close friends and one of my favorite go-to Indian grocery store / kitchens there, I can see why. As a friend rightfully put it while visiting us in Indiana and coming into Noblesville for the first time this weekend, it’s got a “Gilmore Girls” vibe — and she’s not wrong.

Noblesville could definitely give Stars Hollow a run for its money with its annual Indiana Peony Festival alone! Not to mention the plethora of other events that seem to be happening on a weekly, if not daily, basis. And not to be outdone or ignored, it’s now playing host to a formidable farmer’s market over at the large, expansive Federal Hill Commons. 

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Accessibility-friendly parking is available at the Market, but beware: it runs out fast. If you can’t make it there early enough, there’s plenty of other parking to choose from that mostly just requires you to cross the street using police-monitored pedestrian walkways.

What struck me most about this market, as compared to the other ones so far, is how non-food focused it is. Sure, there are food vendors, both selling consumable items and meals to eat at the market as well as purchase and take home, but I found myself marveling at the sheer amount of non-food vendors selling jewelry, crafts, clothing, and much more. So if you’re taking a kid or two, perhaps pack some snacks just in case, but don’t worry, rumor has it there are more dining vendors this year to whet your appetite.

Comfy shoes are a must here at the market, and given its location, it's veritably surrounded by the many new brunch spots that have opened: no better way to spend a Saturday than to hit the market, stock up for the weekend, and grab a girls’ brunch after!

The Westfield Farmers Market is the one I’d refer to as the new kid on the block. As a Carmel resident for over three decades now, I’ve seen Westfield grow and blossom from nothing into, well, everything! From a large auditorium that hosts one of the biggest Indian dance events of the year to a full-fledged international festival, Westfield is quickly becoming the place to be!

There seems to be a little something for everyone at Westfield’s Farmer’s Market, hosted at the Grand Junction Plaza — but be warned: with Park Street just around the corner, construction has been rampant and booming, sometimes making it a little challenging to reach the market itself. However, if you circle around once or twice, you’ll find parking just a short walk away — and there is a shuttle to take you from some of the parking areas to the entrance of the farmers market, should you need it.

As a self-professed night owl whose day begins at noon, the Westfield Farmer’s Market differentiates itself from the other three markets: it’s held every Thursday evening, making it the best post-work (or post-nap) event to meet a friend at for a sunny, summer dinner and catch-up session. You’re in luck for dinner options, too: Restaurant Row is right across the street, as well as the new Union Square development. So whether you’re going on a dinner date at Nyla’s, feeling fancy at Italian House on Park, or treating your sweet tooth to the newly opened Stella’s Ice Cream, there’s no dearth of dining options for a nice and relaxed summer dinner as the sun sets.

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As mentioned before, construction on Restaurant Row has been rampant and robust over the past year or so — so come prepared. ADA-friendly parking is available in the newly built Union Square parking lot if you choose to park there. But don’t hesitate to take the shuttle from the library parking lot — the shuttle drivers are some of the nicest people around! 

Grand Junction Plaza has about four or five small picnic tables to sit at and enjoy your market goodies, but they can fill up fast. Going in with a backup plan, be it eating on the roof of your car or dining at a nearby spot, isn’t a bad idea.