By: Wendy Weitzel, for Davis Farmers Market
The music, food and family fun of Picnic in the Park returns to the Davis Farmers Market on Wednesday, May 7.
The popular event is every Wednesday from 4 to 8 p.m., May through September. A local band plays each night. There’s children’s entertainment, loads of food vendors, and plenty of opportunity to gather as a community. October through April, there’s a traditional farmers market on Wednesdays, from 3 to 6 p.
Picnic in the Park schedule:
Cold Shot (dance party) on May 7
Kindred Spirits (folk rock) on May 14
The Teds (rock) on May 21
According to Bazooka (indie, folk, pop) on May 28
The Geoffrey Miller Band (rockabilly) on June 4
5-Star Alcatraz (indie, alt rock) on June 11
Julie and the Jukes (classic blues) on June 18
Now and Then (“back in the day” covers) on June 25
The Hey Nows (folk rock, Americana) on July 2
It’s About Time (big band) on July 9
Stout Rebellion (Irish folk with a rock edge) on July 16
Vaca Jazz Society (big-band jazz) on July 23
Katalysst (indie folk rock) on July 30
Island Crew (beach tunes) on Aug. 6
The Ron Goldberg Quartet (classic covers) on Aug. 13
Wealth of Nations (classic rock, acoustic) on Aug. 20
New Harmony Jazz Band (big-band jazz) on Aug. 27
Odd Man Out (folk rock) on Sept. 3
The Teds (singable, danceable rock) on Sept. 10
sKeTcHy (rock, pop, folk) on Sept. 17
and Penny Lane (Beatles covers) on Sept. 24.
Tables and chairs in the Market Food Court are sponsored by A Grand Affair Party and Event Rentals. They are for use while enjoying market-purchased food. Patrons are encouraged to bring their own chairs and blankets for picnicking on the lawn.
Along with all the certified farmers market sellers, food vendors will include Bare Juices, Bolani flatbreads and dips, The Buckhorn, Casa Del Pan tamales, Ciocolat desserts, Davis Bread & Desserts, The Dumpling House, Fat Face popsicles, The Hotdogger, Kathmandu Kitchen, Kettlepop, North African Passion dips and breads, Open Rice Kitchen, Puros Churros, Purple Tree Cafe, Steve’s Pizza, Upper Crust Baking, and Zumapoke (starting June 1).
During operating hours, the market will have an open-container permit, allowing patrons to consume alcohol, whether it’s canned beer from one of the four Davis breweries rotating each week, a bottle of wine from Heringer Estates or Great Bear Vineyards, or a beverage they brought from home. Sudwerk Brewing Co. leads the brewery list, followed by Dunloe, Three Mile and Super Owl. Check the brewery schedule at https://www.davisfarmersmarket.org/2025-beer-schedule/.
Picnic in the Park focuses on family-friendly children’s activities and music, along with a wide range of food made from market ingredients. There is a clown, face-painter and children’s activities. The Davis Schools Foundation organizes the pedal-powered carousel.
Year-round in downtown Davis, thousands gather each week to shop for what is grown, raised and made locally. Since 1976, the Davis Farmers Market has connected and supported communities, area agriculture, farmers and artisan food producers. It educates the public about nutrition, sustainable agriculture, and the local economic value of buying food and products directly from the producer.
The Davis Farmers Market’s signature markets are Saturday mornings and Wednesday afternoons/evenings in Central Park. It also manages farmers markets at UC Davis, Sutter Davis Hospital, and the Sutter medical centers in Sacramento and Roseville. Since 2000, its Davis Farm to School program has supported the Davis Joint Unified School District, providing farm- and garden-based education, increasing farm-fresh foods in school meals, and reducing solid waste through recycling and composting.
For more information, go to https//davisfarmersmarket.org or visit it on Facebook or Instagram.
