Farm Fête is coming: Get your tickets before they sell out
Sample unique bites at this tasty fundraising event 🥬🍅
Later this month, about 500 food-obsessed locals will gather for BREADA’s annual Farm Fête, a fundraiser for the farmers market organizer that’s fast become a must-do for Capital Region culinarians.
Tickets have sold out the last two years for the event, which features signature small plates from local restaurants, live music, adult beverages, a silent auction and the chance to hang out with Red Stick Farmers Market farmers. The indoor-outdoor gathering takes place Sept. 24 at the Main Street Market downtown. The annual event is the Red Stick Farmers Market’s chief fundraiser, helping to secure about 15% of its annual budget, says executive director Darlene Adams Rowland.
“Farm Fête helps to support our market staff and everything it takes to put on 130 markets a year,” Rowland says.
The Red Stick Farmers Market takes place year-round in two locations. It’s held at the Pennington Biomedical Research Center on Thursdays, and at 5th and Main streets downtown on Saturdays. BREADA also hosts seasonal markets at the ExxonMobil YMCA in North Baton Rouge and the Main Library at Goodwood.
The market turns 30 in November and is considered one of the South’s oldest and most successful modern green markets. As a producer-only entity, vendors can only sell items they grow or produce themselves. BREADA staff members screen farmers carefully, visiting their farms and training them before they’re onboarded, Rowland says.
“An enormous amount of behind-the-scenes work goes into operating the market,” she says.
Ticket holders enter the event at 5th and Main Streets and can explore food and drinks both inside and outside the Main Street Market. Participating restaurants will offer signature dishes that use local ingredients. They’ve even been given market tokens in advance to encourage shopping, Rowland says.
Stroll around and sample items from Bergeron’s City Market, Josephine’s, Mestizo Louisiana-Mexican Cuisine, Chef Celeste Gill, Chow Yum, City Club of Baton Rouge, Cocha, Louisiana Crave-a-Ball, Eliza Restaurant & Bar, Eloise Market and Cakery, Houmas House and Iverstine Butcher. Three of the permanent vendors added since the Main Street Market was renovated in 2024, including Sapor Indian Fusion, Vivian’s Rotisserie & Grill and The Cozy Griddle, will also participate.
Blend, Community Coffee, Crescent Crown, JT Meleck Distillers, Oxbow Rum Distillery and Uncorked Fine Wines and Spirits will offer cocktails, wine and other beverages. River & Roots Market, the Main Street Market’s single-origin coffee shop, plans to serve espresso martinis.
John Gray Jazz will play outside where there’s plenty of room to dance. Indoors, catch mellow tunes from singer Ashley Orlando.
Farm Fête’s silent auction is back with a chance to bid on food experiences and culinary items. The event also includes a Date Night for a Year raffle in which the winner lands gift cards to about 12 different eateries, a $2,000 value for a $20 ticket.
A new event gives attendees a chance to win an original work of art created for Farm Fête by artist David Gary. The agriculture-inspired painting was reproduced as a puzzle with each piece sold throughout the gathering. Purchased pieces will be assembled as they’re sold. At the end of the night, one will be removed, revealing the winner’s name.
Rowland says one of the most beloved elements of Farm Fête is the chance for farmers market regulars to bump into the farmers they love to frequent at the weekly markets.
“People don’t realize sometimes that they are working on Saturday mornings and don’t have the luxury to spend the time they’d like to chat,” Rowland says. “This lets everybody just be in a relaxed environment. It’s kind of special.”
Farm Fete will take place Thursday, Sept. 24, from 6 to 9 p.m. at 501 Main St. Attire is dressy casual. Advance tickets are required.
