Vendors at the Community Farmers Market gathered to sell items such as fresh fruits and vegetables, floral arrangements and handmade body care products at Thursday’s “Night Y’all” farmers market. 

The “Night Y’all” Community Farmers Market is a free event hosted annually to celebrate local farmers, musicians and artists.

The market is a celebration of the Bowling Green community that has been going on for over 10 years, Laura Beth Fox-Ezell, volunteer on the event planning committee, said. 

Lost River Sessions provided live music at the market, including music from Leslie Weiler Meng and the band Mt. Victor Revue. 

Elaine Losekamp, a volunteer at the market, got connected to the Community Farmers Market while studying agriculture at WKU. 

“I got connected with Top Crops, which is a local community garden that works with adults with special needs,” Losekamp said. “I was their intern while I was in college, and they come here and sell their produce every week, so I started coming to the farmers market every Saturday to sell produce with them.”

After college, Losekamp continued volunteering at the market and working part-time. Losekamp will take over the role of market manager this upcoming weekend. 

“The Community Farmers Market has so many amazing ways that we help support the community, like being a small business incubator, supporting local farms and connecting members of the community with fresh produce and locally raised foods,” Losekamp said.

The event included a silent auction of locally donated baskets and items from vendors. The donations will support the Kentucky Double Dollars program. 

Through the Double Dollars program, the market will double up to $20 per market visit off of EBT cards, Losekamp said.  Those who receive Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits are able to put $20 on their card, and receive $40 to spend. 

The market takes WIC and senior farmers market vouchers during the summer time. There is a program called Fresh RX for expecting moms on medicaid to receive 40 weeks of $24 a week in tokens to be used for fresh fruit and vegetables. 

The market is open from 8 a.m.-1 p.m. on Saturdays and from 2-6 p.m. on Tuesdays. 

To learn more about the Community Farmers Market, visit https://www.communityfarmersmarketbg.com/.

News reporter Madison Carter can be reached at [email protected].