Amsterdam’s new farmers market to make debut Saturday

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It’s almost here.

A new farmers market in Amsterdam will be opening for business Saturday outside the Walter Elwood Museum.

The market won’t be the first in the city, but the goal for this one is to eventually be as big as the Schenectady Greenmarket. The market will showcase local goods, including gourmet foods and farm items.

Ben Wallach, marketing director for the Niskayuna Co-op, has been helping spread the word about the new market. Wallach and Ann Peconie, executive director of the Walter Elwood Museum, met with the media Thursday at the site where the market will take place, at 100 Church St.

“I’m thrilled,” Wallach said. “All my dreams are coming through.”

About 20 vendors are expected to be at the initial session from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday. The market will be open Saturdays through Oct. 4, and Wallach expects it to grow to as many as 50 vendors by the end of August.

For the first week, Gatherer’s Granola, a Schenectady-based maker of granola products, will be one of the vendors. There will also be two vendors selling organic produce and other vendors with baked goods and meats such as bacon and smoked sausage.

Wallach said the Taj Mahal Indian Restaurant and Tara’s Kitchen, both from Schenectady, are expected to join the list of vendors Aug. 9.

For the first week, the market will take place on the side of the museum parking lot that belongs to the city. However, Wallach expects the market to eventually expand toward the side that belongs to the museum.

Peconie said the museum will be open at the same time as the market, offering the public a chance to grab some lunch at the market and check out the museum.

During the Aug. 9 market, the museum will be celebrating its 75th anniversary with a festival and will be open from noon to 6 p.m.