Nampa Market History

History of the Nampa Farmers Market

Historical downtown Nampa, Idaho
between 1st St. South and Front St

The Nampa Farmers Market was founded in 1989 by John and Afine Relk.
The market was held in a parking lot across from the police department. There were only three vendors participating
and customers were few in that first year.

Since the beginning, the market has continually grown in both customers and vendors. In 1998 the market moved to
historic Downtown Nampa in front of the Historical Museum of the train depot. Since that time the market has grown
to an average of 40 to 50 vendors per week, offering a large variety of produce, foods, crafts, plants and flowers from
local vendors.

With the beauty of the museums architecture as a backdrop, and a fountain on each side of a tree lined street, the
market area becomes a bustling community of farmers, crafters and bakers selling their wares each Saturday
morning from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. from May through October.

Local entertainers provide music and dance venues to enrich the experience of going to market. Families come
together to shop and visit with friends and neighbors, keeping the spirit of the old-fashioned marketplace alive for
future generations to enjoy.

The market is helping to revitalize the downtown area and supports local businesses by attracting new customers to
the downtown corridor. Working with the Nampa Business Improvement District the Market could eventually
become a year round market place.