The Downtown SLO Farmers’ Market is open every Thursday from 6:00 pm to 8:30 pm on five blocks of Higuera Street from Nipomo Street to Osos Street in Downtown San Luis Obispo. This is about two miles from the Embassy Suites hotel.
The Market unofficially began in the late ‘70s, when loud car cruising down Higuera Street became a popular evening activity. As this new trend drove away shoppers, downtown merchants had trouble keeping their doors open late.
To encourage locals to shop downtown in the evening, the Downtown Association (now known as “Downtown SLO”) shut the street down on Thursdays and invited merchants to set up tables outside to sell their products.
In 1983, we invited farmers to participate and officially became the Downtown SLO Farmers’ Market.
Nowadays, the market includes fresh produce from local farmers, crafts and merchandise from neighboring stores and local craft people and BBQ’s featuring chicken, ribs and tri-tip. Other culinary choices are also available. Normally crowded, the Market has become a community event that draws visitors from all along the Central Coast.
