The town-operated market will be open Saturdays from 8:30 a.m. until 12:30 p.m. in the parking lot across Main Street from Town Hall.

More than 30 vendors will be part of the market this season with an ever-increasing variety of products such as:

• Pasture-raised beef, poultry and pork, plus eggs from free-range chickens
• Gourmet sauces, seasonings and condiments
• Flowers and herbs
• Ice cream and baked goods
• Local honey, maple syrup
• Artisanal bath and body products
• Homemade dog treats

New this year are microgreens, which are juvenile green plants often found in fine dining establishments. There’s also mead, which is created by fermenting honey with water.

Opening Day begins with a ribbon cutting and includes customer appreciation raffles for items that vendors have donated. Early season offerings include:

• Strawberries
• Broccoli
• Cucumbers
• Collard greens, kale, spinach and lettuce
• Leeks, spring onions
• Squash, okra, sweet potatoes
• Garlic and other herbs

Pick up a customer loyalty card at the information tent while shopping. You’ll receive a special gift for every fifth punch and be entered into a drawing for a “night on the town.” Win dinner, tickets to a show at Holly Springs Cultural Center, and a two night’s stay at Hampton Inn.

With live music weekly and kids’ activities most Saturdays, the market also features a monthly chef demonstration series and more than a half dozen special events. They include the Taste of Holly Springs on June 3, food truck rodeos June 24 and Sept. 23, and the season-ending Chili Cook Off in mid-October.

Free document shredding May 27 and Sept. 30 are opportunities to discard unneeded personal papers safely.

The town’s Department of Planning and Zoning operates the Holly Springs Farmers Market. It received Best in Class honors last year among North Carolina markets and 11th nationally.