In their 53rd year running, Watauga County’s Farmers Market was voted North Carolina’s favorite market.
Photo courtesy the Watauga County Farmers Market
BOONE — The Watauga County Farmers Market now ranks among the Southeast’s top five farmers’ markets.
The market was voted North Carolina’s favorite market in American Farmland Trust’s 2026 America’s Favorite Farmers Market competition. With 2,222 votes, the market also placed among the top five markets in the Southeast.
Founded in 1974, Watauga County Farmers Market has grown into both a cherished Saturday gathering place and a significant contributor to the local economy. Its estimated economic impact in 2025 was $1.83 million, demonstrating how the weekly exchange between producers and shoppers supports livelihoods and economic activity across the region.
The recognition comes during the market’s 53rd season, celebrating a community institution that has endured a pandemic, temporary relocation during park renovations and Hurricane Helene while continuing to connect local producers with the people who depend on them.
“This recognition represents decades of people showing up for one another. It honors the generations of farmers, makers and organizers who built this market, and the community that continues to sustain it,” said Market Director Michelle Dineen Smith. “We’ve adapted through uncertainty, moved our market and worked through circumstances none of us could have anticipated. Through it all, our producers have kept doing the work, and our community has kept coming back. That commitment is what makes this market worthy of celebrating.”
The Watauga County Farmers Market won North Carolinas favorite 2026 market.
Photo courtesy the Watauga County Farmers Market
Despite these disruptions, community participation is stronger than ever. Shoppers come out rain or shine, wait for parking during peak hours, and sometimes walk blocks to reach the market—a testament to their commitment to keep showing up for local producers.
That support has also underscored the need to make visiting easier. A new partnership with AppalCART offers a park-and-ride option, and the market continues to seek the Town of Boone’s support in addressing parking and infrastructure limitations so more people can participate.
As a producer-only market, it offers customers a direct connection to the people who grow, raise, bake and make what they buy. Each purchase supports the farms, small businesses and skilled producers who help give the High Country its character.
“The full value of this market is easy to miss when you only see a Saturday morning,” Dineen Smith said. “Behind every booth are days of work and years of experience. Behind a familiar face is a relationship built over many seasons. The economic impact matters, and so does having a place where people feel connected to their food, their neighbors and the place they call home.”
Hosting live music and a kids area, the Watauga County Farmers Market provides a unique experience in the High Country.
Photo courtesy Watauga County Farmers Market
That commitment extends to making the market’s abundance available to more households. Double Up Food Bucks matches SNAP and Farmers’ Market Nutrition Program purchases up to $75 per market day, while Donation Station partners and the Harvest Table connect local food with neighbors facing food insecurity. Live music, children’s activities and community partnerships bring people together across generations.
The voting campaign drew support from shoppers, vendors, local businesses, community organizations and visitors who carried their affection for the market home with them. The result recognizes both the market’s quality and the depth of the relationships built there.
“We asked people to help us tell the story of why this place matters, and they did,” Dineen Smith said. “We’re grateful for every vote and every person who encouraged someone else to participate. The best way to carry this recognition forward is to keep showing up for the producers who earned it.”
Residents and visitors are invited to celebrate by shopping the fall harvest at Watauga County Farmers’ Market, open Saturdays from 8 a.m. to noon through November 28 at Daniel Boone Park, 591 Horn in the West Drive in Boone.
For more information, visit wataugacountyfarmersmarket.org.
The Watauga County Farmers Market has a total of 42,627 estimated customer visits over 35 Saturdays.
Photo by Lorelei Roberts
Dining and Cooking