Local Event Promotes Art, Food, and Fun

This summer will see the return of Moab’s Arts & Ag Market, with music, arts, crafts and food on display on the green lawn of Swanny Park near downtown Moab. June 7 kicks off the season: Around 20 vendors and booths with free activities and information on local organizations and events will be set up under the park’s shady cottonwood trees from 5 to 8 pm.

“I just think it’s a great way to come out and support your local community,” said Kelley McInerney, arts and special events director for Moab Arts, the city’s arts department. “I think people are often surprised at how many artisan vendors are here … and it’s a great way to pick up locally sourced food items.”

The market is one avenue for local farmers to sell their produce; some also supply local restaurants or the Moonflower Co-op grocery store, which lists nine growers in Moab, Spanish Valley and Castle Valley among its producers. Some Moab farms offer Community Supported Agriculture shares, providing fresh produce to subscribers throughout the season. 

Vendors from Moab and Beyond

The Arts & Ag Market also welcomes vendors from beyond Moab. Ben Jackson, of Ben’s Hens farm in Fremont, Utah, will be attending the June market, his first in Moab; he’ll bring eggs and poultry products to sell. 

Jackson officially started his farming business in 2017. He began with eggs, and gradually expanded into raising chickens and other poultry for meat. Now, along with chickens, ducks, turkeys and geese, he raises sheep, goats, and pigs. He calls himself a “one-man band”, operating every aspect of the farm himself, including traveling to attend markets like the one in Moab. He’s hoping he’ll meet people at the Moab market interested in buying directly from him regularly. 

“Markets often are a great networking avenue,” Jackson said. They don’t always yield a lot in sales, but they’re the right place to connect with people looking for wholesome, naturally raised food. 

It’s a lot of work to set up a booth or table at a market, especially if you have to travel to get there. Jackson’s trip will be several hours each way. While shoppers may only see vendors for a few hours, that’s only a fraction of the time they’ve put into the event. 

“Our day for the market is twice that long,” Jackson said. 

He strongly believes that people should know where their food comes from and how it’s grown, so they can make healthy choices about what they’re consuming. The investment in coming to Moab’s market will be worth it if he can form relationships with people committed to that ideal, who want to support small, local farms like his. 

Local Arts and Handmade Goods

Along with food items, there will be arts and crafts like handmade pottery, locally produced soap and leatherwork. Local musician Rachel Toups will play, and the National Park Service will have a booth promoting its annual Astrofest, a stargazing weekend with daytime lectures and guided night sky viewing in the area’s state and national parks from June 6 to 9. 

The markets are scheduled for the first Friday of each month, except in August.

“We’re skipping August because it’s one of the hottest months down here,” McInerney said. 

More to Explore

Other Moab seasonal events, including monthly art walks, outdoor movies, and free concerts, are on other Fridays of the month, so there’s always something going on, every Friday of the summer. 

July 5th’s Arts & Ag Market will partner up with the Grand County Fair, taking place that weekend, and both events will be held in the Old Spanish Trail Arena. That way people won’t have to choose between the events, and there will be even more activities and displays. 

Last year, McInerney said, the city estimated there were roughly 200-300 people at each Arts & Ag market, and staff expect a similar turnout this year. 

“We see a lot of locals at the markets,” McInerney said. It’s a place to run into acquaintances and catch up, enjoying the community while supporting local and regional farms and artists. The city arts department also promotes the markets at hotels and guideshops, and welcomes tourists to come and browse. It’s a perfect place to pick up a gift or dinner ingredients, hang out with friends, meet local and regional artisans and farmers, or simply enjoy a summer evening.

Feature Image courtesy of Moab Arts and Past Markets.