After being on my unofficial Yale bucket list for the past two years, I can finally cross off the Wooster Square Farmers’ Market from the list. CitySeed’s Wooster Square Farmers’ Market takes place every Saturday from 9am-1pm in Wooster Square, a neighborhood in New Haven that is commonly referred to as New Haven’s Little Italy.
Although Wooster Square feels very distant from Yale’s main campus, I was surprised by how walkable Wooster Square is from my residential college. When the weather is nice (this is especially true in New Haven during the fall time), the 15-minute walk to the Wooster Square Farmers’ Market feels extremely short and is highly enjoyable. While the walk is brief, I was able to explore so much more of New Haven that I never was able to during my typical treks to class.
Some of the beautiful Fall foliage + an adorable cat I saw
When I arrived at the farmers’ market in the parking lot of a local middle school, I felt as if I was transported to Gilmore Girls. The atmosphere amicable and exactly what I imagined Stars Hallow to be like, especially with the colorful Fall foliage and lively ambiance. From families with young children, older couples, and an abundance of dogs (emphasis on abundance), being in the farmers’ market temporarily relieves me of my stress from my upcoming exams and projects.
Still obsessing over all of these adorable dogs
I was also very impressed by the density and the variety of vendors. The Wooster Square Farmers’ Market has more than 30 vendors ranging from locally grown produce, dairy products, artisan bread, homemade pastries, native plants, and more. After learning that the farmers’ market is producer-only, meaning that all the produce sold at the market is grown locally by each farmer, I was even more impressed by the farmers’ market and proud to be able to support local businesses. As a Yale student, I was pleasantly surprised to see familiar faces in the farmers’ market, such as the beloved Jitter Bus and the cult favorites Pedals Smoothie and Juice Bar and Olmo.
Some beautiful flowers for sale!
Highly recommend buying a pastry from the SoNo Baking Company
The Wooster Square Farmers’ Market is one of the many reasons there is so much more to New Haven than the Yale bubble. While I am a fan of all the restaurants, coffee shops, and clothing stores downtown , there is something intangibly special about Wooster Square and the Wooster Square Farmer’s Market. I am so glad to be able to finally visit the farmers’ market and will be coming back for more. Whether it is wanting to embody the Rory Gilmore fall aesthetic, consuming an ungodly number of pastries, or petting adorable dogs, the farmers’ market should be a part of every Yale student’s bucket list.
A mini appreciation my WGiCS family and Jitter bus coffee <3
