Yuma Farmers Market launches Saturday night market through October

The Yuma Farmers Market will launch a Saturday Night Market on July 11, giving Yuma shoppers a later option to buy, eat and linger after the daytime heat eases. The weekly event will run from 7 p.m. to 11 p.m. every Saturday through the end of October in the parking lot of C-A-L Ranch at 529 W. 32nd Street.

Organizers say the night market will bring food trucks, vendors, artisans, family fun and good vibes to the site. C-A-L Ranch’s Yuma store page lists the location as 529 W 32nd St, Yuma, AZ 85364, with regular store hours of Monday through Saturday from 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. and Sunday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

The move fits a city where evening hours often carry more value than midday shopping. Visit Yuma says the city gets about 310 days of sunshine a year, and it describes local farmers markets as places to find fresh citrus, fruits and vegetables, baked goods, spices, dried fruits, jewelry and unique clothing and crafts. The Yuma Farmers Market says it supports local organic agriculture, entrepreneurs and a welcoming community place to shop and visit, with fresh produce and handmade products at the center of the mix.

For vendors, the Saturday-night format opens a second lane for foot traffic in a market already tied to Yuma’s food and craft economy. A regular evening schedule through October gives small sellers a predictable slot in a familiar South Side location, while residents who work daytime hours, or who simply want to avoid the worst of the heat, get a cooler-time market run without leaving town.

The broader agricultural backdrop is hard to miss. Arizona Commerce Authority material says Yuma’s agribusiness sector supplies 80 percent of the United States’ winter leafy vegetables. Yuma Crossing National Heritage Area says the region provides 95 percent of the nation’s winter fresh vegetables and that agriculture accounts for 20 percent of Yuma jobs. Against that backdrop, the Night Market extends the city’s produce-and-maker culture into the hours when summer temperatures start to soften.