The plan for last Sunday's finale at the Olney Farmers and Artists Market started with music at 10 a.m. At 11, the info tent hosted a celebration for vendors and volunteers who have been there since the beginning, followed by a salsa lesson outside the band tent. At 1 p.m., the Pat O'Neill Band, which the market calls its house band, was set to lead the crowd in "Country Roads" to close out the season. The finale also fell on the morning the clocks went back, and the market's newsletter told shoppers it was "time to fall backwards."
The market started in late October 2007, and 2026 is its 20th season. The Winter Season opens this Sunday, November 8, at the same place and the same time. November 1 ended the market's "High Season," and that's all it ended. What changes over the winter is who shows up, what they bring, and how much the market depends on a few things most shoppers never think about.
Same Sunday Hours, Fewer Tents
On the market's homepage, the public hours read "9 a.m. - 1 p.m. year round," every Sunday. Last winter's newsletters show one small adjustment for vendors, who could leave "at 1 instead of 1:10." Your shopping window doesn't change.
The vendor roster is what changes. The clearest way to see it is to set the farm list from the November 1 finale next to the winter list the market published for January 11, 2026.
| Farm or grower | On the Nov. 1, 2026 list | On the Jan. 11, 2026 winter list |
|---|---|---|
| Leedstown Farm | Yes | Yes |
| Manchester Mushroom Farm | Yes | Yes |
| Orchard Breeze Farm | Yes | Yes |
| Stone Feather Farm | Yes | Yes |
| M&M Plants and Plant Masters | Yes | Yes |
| Alluvion Aeroponics | Yes | Yes |
| Fairy Greens Lavender Farm | Yes | Yes |
| MacBride & Gill Falcon Ridge Farm | Yes | No |
| Pleitez Produce | Yes | No |
| Greek Superfoods | Yes | No |
| Spring Hollow | Yes | No |
| Westmoreland Produce | Yes | No |
| Common Root Farm | Yes | No |
| Thomas Evans Plants and Produce | Yes | No |
| Apple Valley Farm | No | Yes |
| Dimitri Olive Oil | No | Yes |
Seven of the 14 farm and grower names on the finale list also appeared on last January's winter list. Read that as a pattern, not a promise. The January list is from the 2025–26 winter, and this winter's lineup will settle week by week. Some vendors take a break and come back. The January 2, 2026 newsletter said Common Root Farm was off for the winter and expected back in March. The November 1 newsletter also listed Full Circle Farm, Wildflower Bakery, Coop's Soups, Phil's Dills and Rutter's Seafood as "taking a break."
What a Winter Sunday Basket Looks Like
The January 11 newsletter gives a good picture of what a cold-weather market sells. It listed:
- Apples, potatoes, sweet potatoes, squash and carrots
- Mushrooms, spinach and microgreens
- Cucumbers and peppers
- Eggs, meat and poultry
- Hot cider and hot chocolate
- Baked goods and prepared foods
Several of these line up with the vendors who stay. Manchester Mushroom Farm covers the mushrooms, and Alluvion Aeroponics grows indoors, which helps explain how spinach and microgreens hold up in January. The winter roster usually tilts toward storage crops, greenhouse growers and prepared food. The heirloom tomato table is gone until spring.
New faces will turn up too. Winter vendor applications are open, and new vendors, plus anyone who has only been with the market a few months, must attend a Winter Market orientation. The market also says its pastry category is already full for winter. So if there's a croissant you like, you'll most likely find it with a vendor you already know.
The Compost Tent Is on the Winter Calendar
Some regulars bring a bag of food scraps along with their shopping list. Through a Montgomery County pilot, Compost Cab runs a drop-off tent at the back of the market. According to the market newsletter, it takes:
- Fruit and vegetable scraps
- Cooked food
- Meat and fish bones
- Dairy, such as cheese and yogurt
- Eggshells
- Bread and grains
- Coffee grounds and tea leaves, with the filters removed
The county's food scraps program calendar lists the Olney drop-off on Sunday, November 8, 2026, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., so the tent is scheduled for opening day of the winter market. Some markets in the program run on shorter calendars. The county's April 24, 2026 announcement gave the Derwood Market drop-off dates of May 3 to October 10, and the Pike Central Farm Market dates of April 25 to November 21. It listed Olney simply as "Sundays, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.," with no end date. When the pilot started in May 2024, the county's Solid Waste Advisory Committee described Olney's drop-off as year-round on Sundays. The county calendar is the place to check before you carry a bag over on a given week.
Why the Market Is Raising Money for a Shed
A market that runs every Sunday of the year, rain or shine, has no indoor space. The market's answer is what it calls an Amish shed, a building where shoppers, staff and vendors can go inside on the coldest and hottest days of the year.
The market's donors page says state funding was first secured through Sen. Craig Zucker, and that donations are still needed for flooring, electricity, insulation, heat and air conditioning. In the November 1 newsletter, the organizers wrote that they were "closer than ever" to their goal but that the price had "risen astronomically."
The same newsletter points to a second need that grows as the weather gets colder. The market gives out fresh-produce vouchers to neighbors in need, and it says it handed out more this season than ever before. It's asking for donations to refill that fund and to support its music program and children's tent. Donations go to Friends of the Olney Farmers Market, a 501(c)(3). You can give at the info tent, through the donate button on the market's newsletter, or by mailing a check to PO Box 1787, Olney, MD 20830.
Winter Sunday Basics
A few house rules matter more once the weather turns:
- Rain or shine. The market runs in bad weather. If conditions turn dangerous, it posts any closure decision on its website and Facebook.
- Wind. Every vendor tent must be weighted with at least 25 pounds per leg, and vendors may be asked to take tents down in strong winds.
- Parking is free. There are two main lots, one outside the professional buildings on Route 108 and one across from the Thrift Shop on Prince Philip Drive.
- No pets. Only service animals are allowed.
- Barricades stay put. The market asks shoppers not to move the barricades at entrances and exits.
Bring a knife or a bike if either needs work. The market lists knife sharpening and bicycle repairs on site.
December 6 Is the One Sunday With Different Hours
The busiest day on the winter calendar comes four weeks in. The Holiday Market falls on the first Sunday in December, December 6, with special hours of 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. That's later than the usual 9 a.m. start, so a regular who arrives at 9 will be two hours early. The market expects more than 100 vendors, along with a visit from Santa, s'mores and roasted chestnuts. Crafters who want a table should know that the $30 vendor fee is due at least one week ahead and space is limited.
A few other dated events in Olney overlap with the market's winter Sundays:
- Enchanted Oak at Lone Oak. Lone Oak's new holiday experience runs November 13, 2026, through January 10, 2027, according to Lone Oak's ticket page. The MoCo Show reports it is at the Whispering Spirit Speakeasy, 5000 Olney Laytonsville Road.
- Les Misérables at Olney Theatre. The show runs on the Roberts Mainstage from October 30, 2026, through January 31, 2027, according to DC Theater Arts.
The market's November 1 newsletter also says a seed swap is planned for spring, organized by Marilyn Can, its newest volunteer. The info tent is already accepting donations of harvested and purchased seeds. If you have leftover packets from this year's garden, you can drop them off at the info tent on any winter Sunday between now and then.
I've always thought the Sunday routines that carry through winter say a lot about a community, and Olney's market is one of the best of them. If you're curious how local institutions like this one shape everyday life in Olney, or you just want to talk through what's changing around town, Franco Saladino is always glad to hear from neighbors. Let's Connect.
