Ligonier Country Market tops in Pa., according to online competition

Ligonier Country Market was judged to be the best farmers market in the state, according to the results of an online competition.

The market was the top choice in Pennsylvania of voters in the 2022 America’s Farmers Market Celebration, a collaboration of the American Farmland Trust (AFT) and the Farmers Market Coalition to determine the best markets in the country.

“We are the oldest and largest in Western Pennsylvania, but nationally no one knows that,” said Cari Frei, executive director of the country market. “Now, we are not just a dot on the map. We are listed in the top 10 of the nation.”

America’s Farmland Trust is a public-private partnership founded in 1980 to protect farmers and their land. The Farmers Market Coalition is a nonprofit that works to promote farmers markets across the country by promoting them as community assets with a goal of providing farmers with an additional revenue stream.

Together, they run the website that held the contest and lists farmers markets by area . More than 125,000 votes were cast in this year’s contest, which recognizes successful markets and the people who make them possible.

“Beloved farmers markets don’t thrive on their own.” said Greg Poltkin, AFT’s director of digital communications. “It’s the hard work of staff and volunteers that make markets special to so many farmers, purveyors and community members.”

Frei said winning also was important because it makes the Ligonier location more prominent on that site. Travelers check it when visiting new areas to see what local options they have.

About 130 vendors show up each week from May until October at the Ligonier market, making it the second largest farmers market in the state and the largest in Western Pennsylvania. Saturday will be the final regular market day of the season, featuring everything from fresh fruit, produce and specialty breads to homemade candles, crafts, knickknacks and even dog treats.

The organization is gearing up to hold a Holiday Market on Nov. 5. Frei said there will be a bus that will take visitors from Ligonier Valley High School to the market field.

“The best part is the opportunity to share the holiday market day with the JROTC from Ligonier Valley High School,” Frei said. “Their craft show opens at 10 a.m., and we open at 12 p.m.”