While Virginia Beach, Virginia, offers a year-round farmers market, it’s a bit of a drive from the resort area where most of the visitors stay. Luckily a local restaurant has offered up its parking lot for the summer and fall within walking distance of the oceanfront.

Every Saturday morning through mid-October vendors are out selling their wares at the Old Beach Farmers Market. In addition to locally-grown produce and flowers, we found artisan cheeses, organic meats and sausages, locally-brewed root beer and coffee and all manner of baked goods and treats.
The market offers everything from breads to scones, brownies to cookies and even homemade dog biscuits. We went home and had a gourmet dinner of corn on the cob, fresh mozzarella with local tomatoes, sourdough bread and apple bratwurst- all from the market.

The farmers market has been so successful that a green market and an arts market have sprung up nearby. Open every other Saturday, these markets feature the works of local painters, photographers, jewelers and even a dollhouse crafter. The Old Beach Green Market features eco-friendly products that use recycled and repurposed ingredients. There we saw soaps, lotions, tote bags and bird feeders. 

The Old Beach Farmers Market can be found in the parking lot of Croc’s 19th Street Bistro at the corner of 19th Street and Cypress Avenue and runs every Saturday from 8 a.m. to noon. Special holiday markets will be held Nov. 19 and Dec. 17.  

The Old Beach Green Market is located at 1909 Cypress Ave. and is open 9 a.m. to noon on an irregular schedule for the remainder of this year. For location details or other information, visit the website at http://www.oldbeachgreenmarket.com/