Press release from UNC Asheville:
The University of North Carolina Asheville and the North Asheville Tailgate Market have formalized their longstanding partnership through a new agreement that will keep the now 44-year-old producer-only farmers market on campus for the foreseeable future.
UNC Asheville has been proud to serve as host for the Market since 2007 and is pleased to remain the home of this family-friendly weekend event that supports the local economy and the success of area farmers, small businesses and artisans.
During the summer months, the Market will occupy the P28 parking lot, easily accessible from Edgewood Road or via University Heights from the traffic circle on W.T. Weaver Boulevard.
When the University’s academic year is in full swing, from the third weekend in August until Spring Commencement in early May, patrons can visit the Market in parking lot P34, located off of Edgewood Road near the Covenant Reformed Presbyterian Church.
The market is open year-round on Saturdays, with seasonal hours of 8 a.m. to noon in April through November and 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. on the Saturday after Thanksgiving through March.
Voted the No. 1 farmers market in Western North Carolina for 13 years, the Market’s positive community impact includes providing food access as well as supporting farmers and small businesses.
In 2023, the Market supported a vendor base of over 120 farms and small businesses, hosting 70 of them weekly, many of whom draw their primary income from this vibrant outlet.
The Market also supports food access for customers who often have difficulty accessing fresh food with their EBT cards. Recent annual sales totaled $76,500 through the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP, in part through a DoubleSNAP matching program.
During the same period, more than 1,000 Farm Fresh Produce Prescriptions were filled and $82,300 Farm Fresh Bucks Redeemed in partnership with and through funding from ASAP, the Appalachian Sustainable Agriculture Program.
In addition, the Market is a NC Senior Farmers Market Nutrition Program participant, where seniors can spend state-funded vouchers on fruits, vegetables, and honey at participating farmers markets, like the North Asheville Tailgate Market.
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