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Neighbors | Jessica Harker .Vendors set up around Austintown park for the first weekly Austintown Farmers Market and Strawberry Festival event June 10.
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Neighbors | Jessica Harker .Community members gathered at the Austintown Township Park for opening day of the Austintown Farmers Market.
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Neighbors | Jessica Harker .Sunstone Craft Garden Micro Greenhouse and Boutique set up shop at the Austintown Park for the first Austintown Farmers Market event.
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Neighbors | Jessica Harker .Mama Pearl's Baking set up a stand at the Austintown Farmers Market's opening day June 10.
By JESSICA HARKER
The Austintown Farmers Market officially opened for the season on June 12, kicking off with a strawberry festival.
Farmers Market organizer Shannon Lehn said that each vendor at the market celebrated the beginning of the season with strawberry themed products.
“Everyone is participating,” Lehn said. “We have so much more planned for this year.”
Lehn said that new to the Farmers Market this summer are loyalty cards that community members can get stamped after spending $5 at any stand.
During the first event if a community member received one stamp they received a free strawberry plant from Redesign the Vine. Throughout the year if community members fill all six spots on their cards they are able to use them to enter drawings for various prizes from vendors.
Each Farmers Market will also host a healthy food demonstration and live music.
The first recipe was a fresh strawberry salsa, to fit the theme of the event.
“We want to promote a healthy life style as well as promote local business,” Lehn said.
Free yoga classes sponsored by Mark Cole Insurance will also be present at the event.
Certified yoga instructor Gina Marie Chance will be running the course starting at 6 p.m.
Different organizations will also be hosting free children’s crafts at each market.
“We want it to be fun, and to be family friendly, so that everyone can enjoy coming out,” Lehn said.
Organizations such as the Disabled American Veterans and the Mahoning County Public library were also present at the event.
The Farmers Market is hosted by the Austintown Township Park every Monday from 5-8 p.m.
For more information on the market, go to their Facebook page.