The Old Beach Farmers Market (OBFM) is a fresh outdoor marketplace situated in the heart of the resort area, just six blocks from the ocean and one block from the Virginia Beach Convention Center, on 18th Street between Cypress Avenue and Mediterranean Avenue adjacent to ViBe Park . OBFM, a non-profit market, was conceived in February 2008 and its first market session took place on June 8th, 2008 with three vendors (Cromwell’s Produce, LG’s Happy Clam Stand and Croc’s 19th Street Bistro) who grew to 10 by the end of that season.
The Market’s mission is to establish a Resort Area farmers market for residents and visitors, encourage locavores and educate others about local, fresh, and sustainable foods, promote local family farms, watermen and Virginia wineries, connect local sources to chefs, restaurateurs and the public and revive an old-fashioned kind of shopping in the historic Old Beach District.
Old Beach Farmers Market is proof positive that a small group of volunteers can effect a big positive change in their neighborhood. As we approach our 10th Anniversary, we celebrate the vendors who saw the vision and the opportunity we were offering and the customers who have supported our growth.
All participating vendors self-produce or offer regionally available agricultural, culinary, seafood and food-based products within a local Food shed of 150-mile radius of the Market location, and all of the State of Virginia. Each vendor must provide a full and honest disclosure concerning their product production as it pertains to growing and/or production methods, particularly in the case of products sold as ‘organic’ or from ‘sustainable sources’. Each vendor must adhere to high ethical standards in terms of product measuring and pricing.