The heart of the Bloomington food scene beats stronger starting April 5, as the Bloomington Community Farmers' Market opens up shop for its 51st season. Situated at Showers Common, right alongside City Hall, the market is a Saturday staple, welcoming early birds and afternoon grazers alike, from 8 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. throughout April to September, shifting to a 9 a.m. start time in the chillier months of October and November.
For those who plan their weekends around the quest for the freshest produce or a sip of artisan-crafted beverages, parking is a practical consideration. According to an announcement from the City of Bloomington, metered spots will set market-goers back a dollar per hour, while the Trades District and Morton Street garages offer a more modest 50-cent rate. There's also complimentary parking, just north of City Hall, a boon to those who find joy in thrift. For patrons with disabilities, there are designated spots along Morton Street.
A new slice of conviviality also joins the market's offerings this year. Bloomington's Mayor Kerry Thomson is setting a community table of sorts, launching the Mayor's Team at the Table—a gesture inviting the public to engage in city-focused discourse every Saturday from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. Market rhythms will be scored by the tunes of singer/songwriter Nicholas Graham-Hall, gracing the Circular Stage twice on opening day.
But what of the goods, the produce, the yield of local earth and toil? Patrons of the market, who often seek connection as much as consumables can anticipate an array of goods. From the earth come carrots, and radishes, kale to chard, while the inventive spirit of food artisans offers up dishes and drinks that promise to satiate and surprise.
Further afield but integral to the community's pulse is Griffy Lake's Boathouse, also heralding a new season tomorrow. For those captivated by the undulations of water and the whisper of oars or paddle, the boathouse will provision watercraft rentals and sell launching permits. Anticipate the span of hours to stretch from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. on weekends through April, before the promenade of summer ushers in daily operation starting May 1.
Enthusiasts of lake-led adventure should be mindful of nature's caprice, as operations can pause in the event of lightning or when water levels threaten the sanctity of safe launch. Weather-uncertain souls may call the Griffy Lake Boathouse at 812-349-3732 for on-the-hour status reports. And for those propelling their private watercraft upon Griffy's serene surface, electric trolling is the mot du jour, with permits required for all vessels hoping to alight from the designated ramp.
Anglers, no less a part of the lake's communal fabric, ply the waters for fish stocked aplenty with bluegill, redear sunfish, largemouth bass, channel catfish, and crappie. A valid Indiana fishing license is the necessary ticket to partake, one not sold at the boathouse but easily procured online or at local suppliers.
