Come and join the festivities at the North Asheville Tailgate Market as it celebrates its first anniversary on the UNC Asheville campus on Saturday, August 16. The market, a Saturday morning institution for those who love fresh produce and flowers, is the area's oldest producer-only tailgate. UNC Asheville offered the market a campus location last August, when the organization was seeking a new site that would accommodate additional local growers and provide easier parking for shoppers.

The August 16 celebration highlights include Chef Laurey Masterton preparing delicious recipes using heirloom tomatoes, music by Linda Mitchell, face painting, and a free drawing for a basket full of market treasures.

“This is a great location for us," said Paul Littman, a market spokesperson. "We've been able to expand the opportunities for local food producers and shoppers, the parking is easy for everyone, and the entire market is shaded by trees, which is ideal this time of year."

As part of the anniversary festivities, the market will dedicate its new signs at 10 a.m. Saturday. Joanne Moore, a 15-year market veteran and popular scone maker, designed the market’s logo featured on the large cream-colored signs. The new signage was made possible through a community collaboration of the Tailgate Market, UNC Asheville and the Appalachian Sustainable Agriculture Project (ASAP).

"It is a pleasure to work with UNC Asheville," said market co-manager Cathie Osada. "They are such an important part of our community and they welcomed us from the beginning. This is one more example of how our community values local food and local farms."

The market has more than 35 local food producers offering organic fruit and vegetables, artisan bread and cheeses, fresh honey and baked goods, eggs, free-range meats, homemade jams, flowers and crafts. It's located in a tiered parking area near the entrance to the UNC Asheville campus, and operates on Saturdays only; market hours are 7 a.m. to noon, through mid-December.

To visit market, enter the UNC Asheville campus at the traffic circle on W.T. Weaver Boulevard. Travel up the main drive and watch for the North Asheville Tailgate sign at Commuter/Faculty-Staff Parking Lot C near the top of the hill. Handicap parking is located on the lower level, immediately adjacent to the vendors. The market site is designated as parking area C on the campus map: www.unca.edu/campusmap/.