The Oklahoma City Farmers Public Market first opened in 1928. The downstairs was mainly used by farmers who sold fresh produce. Upstairs there were concerts, dances, boxing matches and roller-skating. Now it is only a shell of what it once was, but the owners are trying to get it back to its former glory.
I've been down there for anything from buying local produce, flowers, antiquing or attending events like The Girlie Show, Extreme Midget Wrestling, or roller derby!
As a kid my parents used to take me down there and we would buy fresh roasted salted peanuts (which you can still do) and it was so awesome weaving in and out of all the booths that occupied the 40,000 square foot main building.
Coming up in November is The Girlie Show (Nov 2-3) filled with quirky art, crafts, food, music and more and November 4th there is a more family friendly fall festival.
Maybe it's simply because it is old. Maybe because it is in the same part of town as all the industrial safety supply places. Maybe because they have a big schmancy event like ARTini here one night and an inked-up rockabilly roller derby bout the following night. Maybe because sometimes it reminds me of Cain's Ballroom. I can't quite put my finger on it.
Whatever the reason, I love any excuse to get out to the Farmer's Market. A dressed up event like the Allied Arts fundraiser we recently attended, or a laid back event (with actual farmers) like the Food Co-Op dinner a few months prior to that - it does not matter what kind of event it is, the Market just fits. I'm thankful Urban Agrarian has brought new life to this little district, and I hope more businesses follow suit. Why the farm-to-table thing is just now getting momentum here in OKC, when most of our parents, or at least our grandparents, grew up in an ag-based economy is just beyond me. At least it's happening now.
I love to drive by and see the twinkly globe lights strung throughout the first floor. I love all this antique goodness crumbling sweetly in the shadow of our steel scissortail and our bold new skyscraper. It's the architectural and historical embodiment of what I love about this dear little city. We're like the girl who made it to the big dance, but we've still got our overalls folded neatly in the drawer should we need them (or want them).
This place is absolutely awesome in my opinion. Â First, the architecture and history behind the place are incredible. Â It's a beautiful old building that has tons of character because it hasn't been overly restored. Â There are places inside where brick shows through plaster, etc but that is really what makes it unique. Â I love the feel and the way the light filters in through the large windows.
We were there on Saturday evening to watch Tornado Alley Roller Girlz kick some serious ass and this facility definitely added to the overall wonderful time we had. Â I would love to attend another event here (like a concert or dinner or something).
I have been the the farmers' market on several occasions and have always enjoyed myself. Â You can feel the history when you walk through the doors, up the stairs, and into the ballroom. Â My friends and I went to the carnality ball 2010. Â It was nice to be in an environment where everyone is anything but uptight and down for a good time. Â The drinks at the bar were strong and reasonably priced.
I returned to the farmers' market about a week after that because I talked to some people there who said it had a great antique mall and produce section. Â If you are facing the door to the main building, you walk to your left, around the building and through glass doors. Â Inside you find a strip of antique stores. Â I'll admit, that there are some vendors worth passing, but you can find some really unique gems to add to your home collect. Â It beats shopping at a generic store like sears and mathis brothers. Â Don't you ever want a break from the mass produced crap we are bombarded with in OKC?!
The produce section had lots of fresh fruits, vegetables, and plants. Â There are also lots of fresh products like homemade salsa and marinara. Â They even make their own candies like tequila pops with a worm in the middle! Â My girlfriend and I bought a bunch of sugar cane for cheap to try to make our own rum from the juice.
I will be going to many more events here. Â Some friends of mine are having a wedding there soon, so I will be back. Â It seems like they do everything there!