money Are you ready for the return of the Shreveport Farmers' Market? Here's what you need to know
The Shreveport Farmers' Market is returning to Festival Plaza in downtown Shreveport on Saturday, June 3, with lots of local vendors and fresh produce to stock your kitchen.
The Shreveport Farmer's Market mission is to encourage a strong local food system, increase the sustainability of independent local farmers, ranchers and food producers and foster stewardship of land and community through public markets.
Here's everything you need to know before you go to the farmers' market from where to park to updates on SNAP / EBT benefits.
Hours and Parking
The farmers' market will be open from 7:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. every Saturday from June 3 until August 26 at Festival Plaza, 101 Crockett St. in downtown Shreveport.
Public parking is available on the streets behind Riverview Hall or on the lower level of Festival Plaza adjacent to SciPort and is free on Saturdays. Handicapped parking is available on Commerce Street or in the Overlook Lot close to the pavilion.
More Local News: Shreveport community comes together to help out local drag star and friend ZaZa Gigante
Updated SNAP Benefits
The Shreveport Farmers' Market is the only USDA-approved market in the Shreveport-Bossier area that accepts SNAP benefits. The Louisiana Healthcare Connections SNAP Match program will return this year.
Shoppers with a Louisiana Purchase (SNAP) card can receive a dollar-for-dollar match up to $20 in purchases at the Shreveport market. Additionally, the new Greaux the Good partnership will allow an additional match of $10 for a total of $30 in match SNAP benefits. Through these partnerships, SNAP recipients will be able to gain access to fresh, nutritious, local produce while boosting the local economy by shopping with local farmers, ranchers and artists.
In addition to using the SNAP benefits, some farmers also accept Senior Farmers Market Nutrition Food Coupon that's available through parish Councils on Aging.
Vendors taking SNAP and Nutrition Food Coupons will have a yellow certified sign on their booth. Stop by the Info Tower to swipe your SNAP / EBT card and receive tokens to spend with the participating vendors.
There will also be an ATM onsite, and some vendors accept credit and debit cards.
More to Know
Visit the Information Tower to purchase Shreveport Farmers' Market branded shirts, hats and bags to show your support.
All farmers at this market come from within a 100-mile radius aside from two who are grandfathered in from previous rules.
Pets are not allowed at the farmers' market, only service animals are allowed.
There are accessible public restrooms on-site underneath the Spring Street Bridge.
Visit the Red River Revel website to learn more about the Shreveport Farmers' Market and the other events put on by the Revel board.
Meredith G. White is the arts and culture reporter for the Shreveport Times. You can find her on Facebook as Meredith G. White, on Instagram and Twitter as @meredithgwhite, and email her at mgwhite@gannett.com.
This article originally appeared on Shreveport Times: Here's what you need to know about the Shreveport Farmers' Market
