The OB Farmers Market takes place every Wednesday from 4 to 7 p.m. on OB’s eclectic Newport Avenue. Going to the farmers market is a great way to support local farmers and businesses. There are many vendors to see and sample from, so for our seventh edition, here is a list of the seven best places to check out during your next visit.
The Olive Oil Cafe’s gluten-free pastries: These pastries are 100% gluten-free and irresistibly delicious. I recommend the pistachio pastry and peanut butter mousse brownie with festive fall sprinkles. These pastries are so dense and melt in your mouth. You won’t even notice they’re gluten-free.
The Embrace by Emmelie: They sell beautiful jewelry and dreamcatchers of every color that would give any bland wall a cool bohemian vibe. This store also sells handmade jewelry.
The small bracelet stand next to Wells Fargo: The stand sells handmade bracelets and rings from Kenya.
The hummus: The free hummus samples at the various street vendors are probably the best part of the Farmers Market. My personal favorite is the Baba Foods’ three layer dip which is made up of pesto, feta, and sun-dried tomato on a homemade, crunchy pita chip.
The musicians: There is always a line-up of live musicians that play on the street during the market. Artists of all genres—ranging from rock, jazz, world, reggae and folk—play at the market. I’ve also seen professional belly dancers and hula artists. A musician I really enjoyed in the past was a local named Jesus Gonzalez. His music was ethereal, chill and worldly.
The flowers: There are a couple different flower and succulent stands, but you can never go wrong with the giant, multi-colored sunflowers.
The seasonal produce: Lots of local farms come to the Farmers Market to sell in-season produce. Right now, the heirloom tomatoes are in and there are always fresh strawberries that are better than any others you would find in a grocery store.
Tessa Balc 
Grace Chaves