Albany Farmers' Market Reopens April 17

The Albany Farmers' Market is becoming a spring perennial.

The weekly street market, sponsored by the Ecology Center of Berkeley, will reopen April 17 at its regular weekly home on a block of Solano Avenue, just west of San Pablo Avenue. Hours are 3-7 p.m.

The first day will have special entertainment, according to an announcement from the Ecology Center:

"Opening day entertainment will include juggling, stilt-dancing, and unicycle riding by Hearty of EarthCapades Environmental Vaudeville; free facing painting by Dede Bostian; and a mix of old-time music, original songs, and children's tunes performed by Maria Yates aka Penny Royal on vocals and ukulele." 

The market this year will grow by one space and have many of the same vendors as last year, as well as a couple of new ones, said Ben Feldman, program director of the Ecology Center's farmers' markets. The Ecology Center also operates three farmers' markets in Berkeley.

One of the new offerings will be fresh asparagus from L&J Farms in Salinas, and another will be organic extra-virgin olive oil and cured olives from Sorelle Paradisio from a family olive grove in the San Joaquin Valley, Feldman said. The name Sorelle Paradisio is an homage by the olive growers, Michael Scianamblo and his daughter Abbie, to the olive-growing heritage of their ancestors around Puglia, Italy, according to the farm's website.

The Albany Farmers' Market began operating in 2011.

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