Popular Greenwich Farmers Market Seeks Location Change, Petition Launched To Keep It In Place

GREENWICH, CT — The Old Greenwich Farmers Market, which has operated for years at Living Hope Community Church, 38 West End Ave., is seeking a location change, but an online petition to keep the beloved market where it is says the move would potentially affect thousands of local residents.

The market is proposing to relocate to a portion of the parking lot at 11 Riverside Ave., St. Catherine's Church in Riverside, for the 2026 season on Wednesdays from June through November, according to documents submitted to the Greenwich Planning & Zoning Commission.

Proposed hours are 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. to accommodate potential funerals that begin at 11 a.m. at the church, the application narrative says.

Due to a project approved at Living Hope Community Church last November, the market was no longer allowed to operate at the site.

An online petition created by resident Colleen M. Proppé to keep the market in Old Greenwich has garnered over 600 signatures as of Tuesday morning.

Proppé said she has asked church leadership to reconsider letting the market come back, arguing the loss could affect thousands of local residents who use the farmers market and adjacent playground.

Proppé suggested the church could proceed with its planned residential development while allowing the market to remain in place temporarily, giving the community time to identify another walkable and bike-accessible location in Old Greenwich.

"The loss of our beloved Farmers' Market is significant to this town. It has existed in OG for 15 years, since it was co-founded by local volunteers, Amy & Kevin Burke and Dana Evans Lee," Proppé wrote in the petition description. "We, as a community, should have an option for input and be able to vote on where we want the market to be located."

The location change proposal notes the market traditionally features 12-15 vendors each week, including Connecticut farms, several local good businesses, and a craft vendor, jewelry maker or local nonprofit when space allows.

The proposed new location would take up 29 parking spots that make up the lot at 11 Riverside Ave., good enough for 12-13 vendors with tents, leaving 70 available parking spots on the east side of Riverside Avenue - double the amount at Living Hope Community Church.

There are an additional 18 spots allocated to St. Catherine's and another 12 designated visitor spots, according to the submitted documents.

The market typically has anywhere from 200-400 attendees, including children, coming at different times over the four hours of operation.

"There is no green space or playground that would encourage shoppers to linger and take up parking for a prolonged period of time," the application narrative says. "All three entrances to the parking will remain unblocked and accessible for all users of the parking lot including emergency vehicles. We plan to continue to hire help (retired police officer) to nicely guide and direct cars in the parking lot."

The market would remain seasonal, running from the beginning of June through the end of October in the following years.

The proposal is expected to go before the Greenwich Planning & Zoning Commission in the coming weeks.