Baltimore Farmers' Market and Bazaar under the JFX: a Sunday guide

The Baltimore Farmers' Market and Bazaar is a Sunday market held under the Jones Falls Expressway, known locally as the JFX, on Saratoga Street between Holliday and Gay Streets. It is run by the Baltimore Office of Promotion and The Arts. Past seasons ran from April into December, with typical hours of about 7 a.m. to noon, and local news has covered it as it passed its 40th season. Confirm this year's schedule with the organizer.

What is the Baltimore Farmers' Market and Bazaar?

A long-running weekly market with two parts. The farmers' market has growers and producers selling vegetables, fruit, meat, baked goods, flowers and prepared foods. The bazaar has crafts, clothing, vintage items and other goods. Local TV coverage described a mix that ranges from produce to hula hoops. It is held under the expressway, which provides shade and shelter.

When does it run?

Recent seasons started in April and ran into December on Sundays. A 2024 listing gave April 7 to December 22. Hours have been about 7 a.m. to noon, with a note in some years that sellers stay until they sell out. Some seasons added quiet shopping hours early in the morning, and a 2024 report described a monthly extended-hours event. Check promotionandarts.org or call the organizer at 410-752-8632 before you go.

How do you get there?

The market is near Baltimore's Central Business District, a short walk from the Shot Tower/Market Place Metro Subway station and from the Inner Harbor and Little Italy. Parking is on streets and in nearby lots, and a rideshare is easy. Because it sits under a highway, signs can be confusing, so look for the covered area on Saratoga Street.

What should you buy?

Maryland offers blue crabs, oysters and seafood in season, plus sweet corn, tomatoes, peaches and berries in summer, and apples and squash in fall. Ask vendors about local honey, baked goods and cheese. Bakers often sell out early, so go early if you want a specific item.

What is Smith Island cake?

Maryland's official dessert, a stack of thin cake layers with frosting between each. If a baker sells it, it is a local specialty to try, though not every market will have one.

What can you eat at the market?

Prepared food stands sell breakfast items, sandwiches, crepes and coffee. A Sunday market is a good brunch stop. Bring a bag for groceries and a little cash for stalls that do not take cards.

How do you plan a morning around it?

Walk the market first, then buy. Start with the food you want to eat now, and leave heavier groceries until you are ready to leave. After the market, you can walk to the Inner Harbor, Fells Point or the Pratt Street waterfront, or have brunch in Little Italy. Many visitors pair the market with a walk through the Jones Falls Trail nearby.

What if you have dietary needs?

Ask stall owners about ingredients, especially for baked goods and prepared food. Producers can tell you what is in a jar or a loaf, and many sell items for gluten-free or vegan diets.

What other Baltimore markets can you visit?

The city also has public markets such as Lexington Market and neighborhood markets, covered in other guides, and food halls in some neighborhoods. Openings and closings are frequent, so check before you go.

Making the most of the market

Bring bags and a cooler for meat and dairy, and arrive early for the best selection of baked goods. Stroll the whole market before you buy, because stalls repeat. If you like to talk to farmers, go early, before the crowd arrives, and ask what is best this week. The bazaar side is a good place for small gifts.

Weather and seasons

The market is under a highway, so rain is less of a problem than at an open-air market, but wind and cold can still affect it. Spring and fall bring the best weather for a long browse, and summer mornings are best before the heat. In winter, expect fewer producers, with the mix leaning toward baked goods, meat and storage vegetables.

Questions for a producer

Ask a producer how long an item keeps, whether it was grown or made by them, and what they would cook with it. If a baker has a signature item, ask when it is baked, and if a seafood seller offers crab, ask how it was caught and how to store it. Keep any cold items in a cooler on the way home.

Money and payment

Bring small bills and some cards. Many vendors take cards, but some are cash only. If you want to use SNAP benefits, ask at the information table whether the market takes them and whether there is a match program.

How do you remember what you ate?

Mosey is a food-first app where diners find places by dish, mood and neighborhood and rate what they actually ate. A market page can list its traders and, for a market with set days, the days it is on. Following a market lets you ask for a reminder on a market day, and a rating of a dish stays with the stall that sold it.

More guides to read next:

• Where to eat in Baltimore by neighborhood: Fells Point to Highlandtown
• Baltimore public markets: Lexington, Broadway, Cross Street and Hollins

More in the US food guides and the ranked lists of places.