PARKERSBURG - The Downtown Farmers' Marketplace will celebrate National Farmers' Market Week this week.
Organizers have planned several activities, which included free confections at the Information Booth from the Downtown Specialty Bakery and free samples from the 3rd Street Deli as part of Tasting Tuesday promotion. The promotion was created to highlight local restaurants.
At 11 a.m. Friday, the first fruit and vegetable carving demonstration will be held with Josh McCune of the Parkersburg Country Club who will turn produce available at the market into works of art.
At noon Friday, chefs from CJ's Italian Kitchen will join the DFM Kitchen for a live cooking demonstration.
A Kids Craft Table will be available from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Friday where children can decorate a flowering pot while supplies last. If properly watered, a small bean plant should sprout in a few weeks.
The special Kids Craft Table is sponsored by the DFM and volunteers with the Master Gardeners of Wood County.
"We're excited to be a part of National Farmers' Market Week," said Linda Watkins with the Master Gardeners. "This is a great way to get young people interested in gardening."
In a few weeks, the Master Gardeners will establish several container gardens at Third and Market streets next to the market.
"Container gardening is just one of the many creative things people are doing to test out their green thumbs in cities across the country," said Rickie Yeager, planning administrator for the city of Parkersburg. "With the help of the Master Gardeners and others, we hope to showcase more innovative gardening ideas in the future."
