The Fort Ben Farmers Market is back today running from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. at the Fort Ben Cultural Campus in Lawrence, with food trucks, live music from Dr. Sugarbomb, and a lineup of local vendors selling everything from lavender lemonade to dog treats. The market invites attendees to shop local, grab dinner, and enjoy the entertainment while supporting small businesses that set up shop on the former military base turned cultural district.
According to a City of Lawrence, Indiana - Government post, this week's edition falls on the second Thursday of the month, meaning the market's Sprouts youth entrepreneur program joins the mix. Sprouts vendors this week include TLC, Infinity DeBaun, BB's Accessories, and Farmers Market on the Go. The program gives youth entrepreneurs ages 5 to 17 their own booths to practice sales and marketing, according to Visit Lawrence.
Food Trucks, Farm Eggs, and Dog Treats Fill the Vendor Row
Musician and educator Michael Schulbaum will perform as Dr. Sugarbomb, bringing his interactive, nature-themed one-man show for families and young kids, per the City of Lawrence's Facebook post. Schulbaum has worked as an Indianapolis-area artist and teacher for more than two decades, according to Playgrounds of Indy. Four food trucks are set to roll in as well: Ribs Express, The Dirty Bee Mobile Sip Shop, Taco Express, and The Hook Up.
Among the market's full vendor lineup are Fancy Delights, The Freed Farm, Dragonwood LLC, Earth Dog Bakery, Tony's Boss Sauce, Pure Heart Wellness Studio, Yummyscape, Embrace Grace at Horizon Indy, Sugar Creek Family Farm, Pothos Paradise, LifeWise, Renewal by Andersen, Moupew Lifestyle, and Eleven, per the vendor list shared by the City of Lawrence. The Freed Farm will sell pasture-raised eggs at $7 per dozen, with signage noting the eggs must be kept refrigerated at or below 45 degrees Fahrenheit. That storage requirement isn't just a suggestion — under Indiana State Egg Board regulations, vendors selling fresh shell eggs at farmers markets statewide must hold them under continuous refrigeration at or below 45°F and maintain an active egg license, according to Purdue Extension.
Baked Goods, Biscuits for Dogs, and a Cookie Shop's Story
Cheesehead Biscuits will offer a dog treat made with cheddar cheese, carrots, bone broth, and parsley, sold in two sizes and flavors with mix-or-match options: a quarter-pound package for $3.75, a half-pound for $7.50, and a full pound for $15. Earth Dog Bakery will also be on hand with what its signage describes as wholesome treats for dogs. Vangi Cookies, established in 2022, rounds out the baked-goods offerings at the market.
Cottage bakers like these are able to sell directly to shoppers without routine health inspections thanks to Indiana's Home-Based Vendor law, HEA 1149, enacted in July 2022 under IC 16-42-5.3, which covers non-potentially hazardous homemade baked goods and preserves, according to Purdue Extension. Vendors operating under the law must still obtain food handler certification and include specified advisory labels on their non-inspected products, per the same Purdue Extension guidance.
Lemonade, Lavender, and a Full Vendor Roster
Fancy Delights, which promotes its Instagram account @fancy_delights, will pour lemonades in strawberry, rose, and lavender flavors, along with signature drinks, desserts, and full-service catering. Bottled water from the vendor is priced at $2. The market also participates in SNAP and the Fresh Bucks and Double Up Indiana programs, letting SNAP recipients double their purchasing power dollar-for-dollar up to $20 for fresh produce, according to Visit Lawrence.
The market runs weekly on Thursdays from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. between early June and early October, jointly supported by the City of Lawrence and nonprofit Arts for Lawrence, per Visit Lawrence. It's held on the grounds of the Fort Ben Cultural Campus, a public gathering space built with a $5.85 million grant from Lilly Endowment Inc. that the city and Arts for Lawrence received in 2019, according to Arts For Lawrence. The campus also features the permanent Musical Swings installation from Montreal design studio Daily Tous Les Jours, where participants swing together to trigger collaborative musical melodies, a fixture installed after a well-received 2019 trial run.
A Former Army Post Turned Neighborhood Hub
The land beneath the market was once part of Fort Benjamin Harrison, a U.S. Army post established in 1906 and decommissioned in 1991 before being redeveloped into a state park and arts district, according to Visit Lawrence. The market's return this week comes as the surrounding Fort Ben neighborhood continues to see major commercial redevelopment, including The Benjamin, an $80 million apartment and retail project nearing its fall opening, and the mixed-use Corner at Fort Ben development, which recently landed a trio of Lawrence-based dining concepts.
