Fresh fruits, vegetables, baked goods, maple products, honey, mushrooms, prepared foods and culturally significant crops are available across Worcester through the fall as the city’s farmers market season continues at parks, housing communities, neighborhood sites and downtown locations.
Regional Environmental Council (REC) community farmers markets opened in June and crank through October at Beaver Brook Park and University Park, while the organization’s mobile farmers markets run through Dec. 17 at locations across the city. Downtown, Market on Exchange has also returned for its second season, bringing a Sunday market to Exchange Street between Main Street and Commercial Street through Oct. 25.
The markets are designed to bring fresh, locally and regionally sourced food into neighborhoods while supporting farms, food producers, small businesses and community-based growers throughout Central Massachusetts and beyond.
The Beaver Brook Park market runs Fridays from 9 a.m. to noon through Oct. 30 at 306 Chandler St., across from Foley Stadium, with on-site parking available. The University Park market runs Saturdays from 9 a.m. to noon through Oct. 31 at 965 Main St., across from Clark University, with parking available in the Clark lot on Gates Street.
Market on Exchange runs Sundays from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. through Oct. 25 on Exchange Street. Formerly known as Market on Brussels, the market moved to Exchange Street this season and is designed as both a grocery alternative and a community gathering space, with local farms, bakers, food trucks, artisan food vendors, live music, craft beer and family- and dog-friendly activities.
“As a city, Worcester is filled with passionate small businesses and incredible food producers,” Julia Moriconi, market manager for Market on Exchange, said in the announcement. “Our goal is to create a consistent and welcoming space where residents can shop fresh, support local, and spend time together. We see this market as a way to build connections—between neighbors, between businesses, and between the community and the food we eat.”
New this year, Market on Exchange has launched a SNAP Match Program, allowing SNAP cardholders to double their spending power by up to $25 above their EBT benefits each week. The market’s 2026 season is supported by Mass General Brigham Health Plan, UniBank, the Worcester Railers and the Greater Worcester Community Foundation.
REC’s mobile farmers markets bring produce and other foods directly to neighborhoods throughout the week. Tuesday stops include Elm Park Towers, Murray and Wellington Apartments, Webster Square Towers and Coes Pond Village Apartments. Wednesday stops include Green Hill Towers, Autumn Woods, the Out to Lunch Farmers Market downtown, Plumley Village and the REC office at 108 Beacon St. Thursday stops include the Worcester Senior Center, Family Health Center of Worcester, Lincoln Village’s Victoria Center and Great Brook Valley.
The mobile markets close on select holidays and dates in September, October and November.
According to REC, the markets source produce year-round from local farms and regional food distributors, with an emphasis on providing “the best of what the Northeast has to offer.” To meet community food needs and preferences, the mobile markets also offer tropical fruits and some non-local staples.
This year’s farmers and vendors include a mix of longtime regional farms, Worcester-based growers and specialty food businesses. Harper’s Farm, Fay Mountain Farm, Coolidge Hill Farm and Rota Spring Farm are among the regional farms providing fruits and vegetables throughout the season, while Worcester-based YouthGROW Farm, Nuestro Huerto Urban Farm and Just for Fun Farms bring local produce and microgreens to city markets.
Market on Exchange adds another large mix of vendors downtown, including farms and produce vendors such as Coolidge Hill Farm, Just For Fun Farms, Rock Harvest Farm, Tending Tomorrow Farm, TipTop Co-Op and Amherst Mushroom Company. The market also features bread and sweets vendors, artisan food producers, craft beverage makers, artists, body product vendors and pet-focused businesses.
Several vendors across the city’s markets reflect the cultural diversity of Worcester’s food landscape. Juakumbah Farm, operated by Barnabus Forndia of Liberia, grows crops familiar to many shoppers from the African Diaspora and Southeast Asia, including okra, water spinach, sweet potato leaves, gourds and amaranth greens. Nuestro Huerto Urban Farm, cultivated by the Subba and Taming families, offers crops such as bitter gourd, hot peppers, long beans, mustard greens, daikon, cilantro, eggplant and cucumbers. Misigaro Farms grows culturally diverse crops including edible gourds, pumpkin leaves, amaranth greens, jilo, mustard greens and shell beans.
Other REC vendors include Daphne’s Tears Bakery Cafe, Wooden Bakery, Bucket List Maple Syrup, Kelly Homestead Apiary, Southeast Asian Coalition of Central Massachusetts, Global Village Farms, Rattle Root Farm, Cotyledon Farm, Marty’s Local and Circling Carrots Farm.
In addition to in-person shopping, customers can pre-order produce through REC’s online store for pickup at designated market locations. Orders may be placed Thursday through Sunday for pickup the following week.
At Market on Exchange, free Sunday street parking is available, and organizers say additional parking plans are shared weekly.
The full season gives Worcester residents multiple ways to shop for fresh food close to home, whether at a traditional weekend market, a weekday mobile stop, a downtown Sunday market or a farmers market during lunch hours.
Have a story tip, community concern, or insight to share? Email Editor Charlene Arsenault at carsenault@theworcesterguardian.org.
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