Vineyard Haven’s Local Eats & Arts is the most recent addition to the Martha’s Vineyard Farmers’ Market scene. Every Tuesday from 9 am to 1 pm at the Tisbury Wharf, food and craft vendors convene to display and sell their local goods. On the harborfront along Beach Road, the site is idyllic for an afternoon stop and perhaps helps to account for the wide range of vendors despite the market’s relatively recent establishment (this summer marks its third).
While “Local Eats & Arts” takes pride in its down-Island location, it attracts vendors from several towns. Alongside ArtCliff Diner’s hot truck, for instance, sits The Orange Peel Bakery, based in Aquinnah, which specializes in goods baked freshly in a stone oven imported from France.
Alternatively, some smaller vendors rely solely on the weekly market to advertise their specialty products. Lorna Ashe sells her “Oh my Goodness Granola” which she bakes in her house in Oak Bluffs while Jefferson Munroe sells personally farm-raised chickens. Tea Lane Caterers is one of a few catering companies located at the market, where their distinctive savory pies are accessible to the everyday food shopper.
Adjacent to the food stands, one may also find jewelry and trinket vendors. Alicia Lesnikowski sells flower bouquets and handmade beauty soaps in addition to painted canvas floor cloths painted by her sister, Molly.
Jan Pogue, editor and publisher of Vineyard Stories, displays Island books at her stand. She appreciates the “big entrepreneurial spirits” of the market and notes how the space allows the vendors to share their products and get to know one another in a collective way.
Local Eats & Arts is located at the Tisbury Wharf, 144 Beach Road in Vineyard Haven every Tuesday through September. The calendar of events includes book signings, music, and other special events, all of which are free of charge. For more information, see the information listings in the Calendar section or contact Noreen Baker at 508-693-9300.
