Carbondale Community Friday Night Fair

As a registered farmers market in Carbondale, Illinois, Carbondale Community Friday Night Fair connects the local community with the growers and artisans who supply fresh, seasonal food throughout the market season.

Market hours are Fri: 6:00 PM-9:00 PM, May 3 - Jun 28; Fri: 6:00 PM-9:00 PM, Aug 2 - Sep 27. Hours and participating vendors may vary — verify before making the trip.

From Vegetables and Fruits, Carbondale Community Friday Night Fair gives shoppers access to a wide range of locally sourced products each market day.

Carbondale Community Friday Night Fair is part of a national network of farmers markets that have grown substantially over the past two decades. According to USDA data, the number of registered farmers markets in the United States has expanded significantly, reflecting growing consumer demand for local, transparent food sourcing. Carbondale Community Friday Night Fair contributes to that network by giving Carbondale-area growers and food producers a reliable, recurring venue for direct sales.

For consumers, the practical benefit of shopping at Carbondale Community Friday Night Fair is freshness. Produce sold at a farmers market is typically harvested within 24 to 72 hours of sale — far less time than the average transit and distribution time for produce in conventional supply chains. That shorter journey from field to table has real implications for flavor, nutritional density, and shelf life at home. Strawberries bought at Carbondale Community Friday Night Fair on a Saturday morning are simply a different product from strawberries that have traveled across the country in a refrigerated truck.

The economic impact of a market like Carbondale Community Friday Night Fair is also worth noting. When you spend money at Carbondale Community Friday Night Fair, most of that money stays within the Carbondale area. Small farms and food businesses that sell direct-to-consumer do not depend on wholesale distribution margins, which means a larger percentage of each sale goes back to the producer — and back into the local economy. That is a meaningful difference from shopping at a national chain retailer.

Carbondale Community Friday Night Fair reflects Carbondale's commitment to local food systems, creating a marketplace where producers and consumers can build lasting relationships grounded in trust and quality.

Contact Carbondale Community Friday Night Fair directly to learn about accepted payment methods, including whether SNAP/EBT benefits are accepted.