Vinton County Farmer’s Market sets April 15 pre-season meeting

Growers, bakers and crafters can start staking a claim to McArthur’s local-food dollars when the Vinton County Farmer’s Market holds its preseason meeting at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, April 15, at 104 West Main St.

Vendor applications and market information will be available at the meeting, and organizers say the gathering is open to the entire community, not just people planning to sell. That makes the meeting the first real checkpoint for anyone hoping to take part in a season that is expected to run Saturdays from May through early October, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., at the old Vinton County Bank parking lot in McArthur.

The move matters beyond a sign-up sheet. In a rural county where many small producers do not have a storefront, the market offers a place to sell food and handmade goods close to home, while giving residents a regular spot to buy local produce and support local vendors. Each Saturday at the market can keep more dollars circulating inside Vinton County instead of leaving the community for larger grocery chains or out-of-county shopping trips.

The market has also been changing its footprint as organizers look for the best fit in town. Its own website describes the Vinton County Farmers and Crafters Market as a Saturday market running from March through October at the Vinton County High School parking lot. A 2025 market announcement put the weekly setup at the old Vinton County National Bank drive-thru and parking lot area, and said vendor space was free for youth, church and community groups. The 2026 listing says organizers are working with multiple community groups to make the market successful and amazing.

Access has been part of the conversation, too. One organizer said the town location offers parking and steps with a handrail, a practical detail for older shoppers, families with carts and vendors hauling supplies. The old Vinton County Bank lot would keep the market in the center of McArthur, where foot traffic and visibility can help small sellers, food trucks and community groups build steady business.

The market also fits into a larger push for healthier food access in Vinton County. The Vinton County Health Department says its Creating Healthy Communities funding was first awarded in 2020 and renewed in 2025 for another five-year cycle, and its activities page lists farmers market Saturdays from April to October, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. That public-health backing underscores the market’s role as more than commerce. It is part of the county’s food infrastructure.

McArthur already has one major local food anchor in Campbell’s Market, which opened Oct. 25, 2017 and has been credited with creating more than 30 jobs while providing fresh produce, meat, dairy and other healthy foods. The farmers market adds another layer, especially for smaller growers and makers who need a seasonal place to sell. For the 2026 season, the April 15 meeting is the on-ramp.