By Rich Larson
The Riverwalk Market Fair closed its 16th outdoor season Saturday on Bridge Square, capping what organizers called a banner year.
Organizers had planned the final outdoor market of 2026 as a Halloween celebration, with vendors in costume and trick-or-treating for children at the booths.
“It’s been a very good year,” Kari McMartin of the Riverwalk Market Fair said on KYMN Radio last week. She said several markets this season sold out all 62 vendor spaces.
The market’s Farm to Families program also had a strong year. At the end of each Saturday market, the program uses community donations to buy leftover produce from vendors, then donates it to the Community Action Center food shelves in Northfield and Faribault. Before the final market, McMartin said the program had donated 20,000 pounds of locally grown produce this year and paid local farmers just over $50,000.
Peace, Love and Llamas offered a $20,000 matching gift, and as of last week the market was $511 short of earning the full match. The money will buy produce next season. A fundraiser at Jersey Mike’s on Saturday and Sunday will send half of sales to Farm to Families when customers mention the program or the market.
The market now moves indoors for the winter, with Saturday markets at the Northfield Middle School on Nov. 21, Dec. 5 and Dec. 19. The first runs from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. A special market is set for 5 to 8 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 10, at Armory Square during Winter Walk.
McMartin said shoppers will find canned goods, apples, honey, bread, cookies, mushrooms and locally made art, making the winter markets a good source of holiday gifts.
The season also marks the end of Martha Kasper’s time on the market’s board. Kasper has served about 10 years, the last two as chair. Her term ends Dec. 31.
Kasper credited the board, sponsors, vendors and community for the market’s growth.
“If you have a puzzle, if any of those pieces are missing, you have an incomplete puzzle,” she said. “And for us, we have a really complete puzzle.”
McMartin said Kasper excels at building community and making everyone feel welcome.
“I’m going to miss Martha,” she said.
Rich Larson is the owner and General manager of KYMN Radio. Contact him at rich@kymnradio.net
