In the heart of Hopewell, an up and coming neighborhood in the middle of Bloomington, Indiana, vendors began to arrange their tents and goods for the Tuesday community farmer’s market. Signs billowed gently in the wind as Bloomington residents browsed the various stands, and music played in the background of the idle chatter of the market’s visitors.

The farmer’s market is part of Hopewell’s effort to create a neighborhood where people look out for each other, shape the future, and put down roots. Farmer’s markets provide opportunities for members of the community to connect with people, share their passions and products, and earn extra income. Willa Liburd, owner of Sugar City Slices Antillen Fusion Pastries, took the opportunity to share her baked goods with Hopewell at her second time at the market. 

“I started at my baking business in March and, you know, I’ve just been looking around for opportunities to have a little pop up,” said Liburd. “I’ve always baked… [my mother] used to bake and sell stuff, too.” Liburd used baking as a way to relieve stress in the wake of a challenging year, and she’s been able to share the joys of baked goods through events like the farmer’s market.

The Tuesday Hopewell Community Farmer’s Market

The recurring event also attracts tourists visiting Bloomington to Hopewell Park, leaving them with a positive association with the city. Elliote Waldron, a visitor from Seattle, remarked that the market was “very cool, it’s really pretty.” Waldron also said that it was “great to be able to get all this fresh food … and also be outside on a beautiful summer day.” 

The efforts of Hopewell have begun to pay off, and the owners of the stands have already started to form the bonds of community. Many people behind tables could be seen sipping drinks from Busia’s Lemonade, a stand that frequents the market. Vendors also traded produce or other products in exchange for goods. 

The market is just one of many steps that Hopewell is taking to improve their neighborhood; they also strive to support permanently affordable housing, and opportunities for local builders and contractors. The city-led revitalization aims to restore Hopewell back to its location’s former legacy of care and community. The neighborhood was once the location of Bloomington’s first hospital, which was supported by volunteers who supplied canned goods, garden harvests, and ran fundraisers. Events like the farmer’s market aim to embody that spirit of charitability.

The Hopewell Tuesday farmer’s market takes place every Tuesday from June through September, at 4 in the afternoon.