Summer is right around the corner and there is no better way to spend your Thursday nights than out at the Downtown SLO Farmers’ Market. This summer is packed with tons of music, special events and exciting new developments.
The Downtown Association in collaboration with The San Luis Obispo County Farmers’ Market Association are kicking off an expansion onto Chorro Street to include a wide variety of new farmers.
This exciting expansion was made possible through months of planning and support from Heritage Oaks Bank. Beginning June 2nd you can now come out to pick up your fresh and prepared meats, a variety of seafood and cheese. Hearst Ranch will be barbecuing up samples of their beef and offering live cooking demos for visitors. There will be entertainment located at the end of Chorro Street to keep the ambiance that we all love so much at The Market. Starting in July you can expect to see even more growth as two additional vendors will be joining in on the expansion to offer delicious yogurt and an assortment of locally grown mushrooms.
The music scene at The Market will also be expanding in June inviting some new artists to come out and light up the streets. Chad Land is just one of the new performers who will be playing June 9th on Chorro Street. Growing up in San Luis Obsipo, Chad says that he spent his days playing along the creek as his mother performed music for local businesses. Chad’s mother, Michelle Marie, was a country singer who performed in Nashville and all around California. His mother’s passion for music had a great impact on him and she became Chad’s biggest inspiration.
Although Chad began heavy metal music, today he plays strictly acoustic music with one of his mother’s old guitars. “People tell me I sound like a more modern version of Neil Young,” says Chad. As a songwriter and storyteller, he uses music as a way to express what is happening in his life stating “I always sing about what the heart says.” Chad’s newest album, soon to be released, is called Eternal Journal and is a reflection of his life and longing for a connection to a close knit community in an ever expanding world.
There are a number of new and returning favorites coming to The Market in June as well. Shake it like a Caveman, whose performance could fool you into thinking he had a full band behind him, will be making his way to the Downtown SLO Farmers’ Market June 23rd on Osos Street. Loren Radis will be playing his enchanting tunes on June 30th and Alex Clark will be out twice to perform his wildly entertaining stunts and fun filled comedy on June 9th and 30th.
The Fresh Picked Concert Series presented by The San Luis Obispo Collection will continue next month with Box the Oxford taking the stage on June 2nd at the Union Bank Parking Lot. Box the Oxford is an Indie Surf Rock band performing some laid-back beachy tunes. The group is composed of students from Cal Poly who will be graduating this year, so come on out and catch them at the Downtown SLO Farmers’ Market before their departure.
The Market will continue to host special events like STEAM Alley, which provides interactive and educational activities for kids to learn more. Discover Healthy Living has been revamped and now offers visitors a chance to come by and request a educational tour without a reservation. This is a great chance for locals to learn more about adapting a healthy lifestyle and tapping into some new produce at The Market.
Just a reminder that the beloved Downtown SLO Farmers’ Market mascot, Downtown Brown, will be celebrating his birthday this month on May 26th! It will be an out of this world experience, so be sure to bring the kids out for the celebration.
With warm weather and so much ahead there is no excuse to stay indoors, so be sure to catch the great happenings at The Market and Discover Local Flavor.
