50 Years Fresh: Celebrate with the Local Food Cup

Local Food Cup

Saturday, June 27th , 2026

7:30AM-1:00PM, activities begin at 9:00AM

824 New Hampshire St

Event Update: What to Expect Tomorrow

Food Cup festivities begin at 9:00 AM and continue throughout our extended Market hours until 1:00 PM, with plenty to see, taste, and do all day long. Stop by for fresh elotes from Juniper Hill Farms, available throughout the event, and keep an eye out between 9:00 and 11:00 AM for vendors offering breads and a variety of delicious spreads to sample. From 11:00 AM to 1:00 PM, Cookshop on 8th will be serving samples of their fresh tomato pesto orzo salad made with seasonal ingredients.

Throughout the day, you can test your aim at the soccer shootout, strike a pose at the photo booth, browse vendor specials, and pick up recipe cards featuring our three Algerian-inspired dishes.

The dunk tank lineup changes every hour, giving you the chance to dunk County Commissioner Patrick Kelly from 9:00–10:00 AM, Lawrence Farmers Market Director of Development Emily Lysen from 10:00–11:00 AM, Mayor Brad Finkeldei from 11:00 AM–12:00 PM, and Assistant Market Manager Monica Shafli from 12:00–1:00 PM, with a few surprise guests possibly making an appearance as well.

If you'd like to meet KU soccer player Sophie Dawes, be sure to stop by the photo booth between 11:00 AM and 12:00 PM.

Don't forget to visit the Info Booth anytime during the event to pick up Local Food Cup merchandise—including tote bags, bandanas, and Team Produce buttons—and cast your final vote to decide whether Team Berry or Team Potato will be crowned this year's Produce Champion!

young market visitors vote for their favorite produce

Monica shows off our Team Beet tattoo, more to come!

A Team Corn voter shows off his swag

Celebrate 50 years of the Lawrence Farmers Market with an extended market day!

On Saturday, June 27, the Lawrence Farmers Market is kicking off a special extended Market day with the Local Food Cup, a community celebration honoring the Market’s 50th Anniversary and highlighting the incredible variety of local foods grown and produced in the Lawrence area.

From 7:30 AM to 1:00 PM, customers can enjoy all their favorite Market Vendors alongside family-friendly activities, games, educational opportunities, and plenty of local flavor. Activities begin at 9:00 AM and will continue throughout the morning, making this one of the biggest and most exciting Market days of the season.

The Local Food Cup is designed to celebrate the uniqueness of local foods in our region while helping customers learn more about where their food comes from and why local food tastes better. Throughout the event, customers will be able to participate in taste tests and samplings featuring seasonal produce and recipes, including cucumber soup, vine-ripened tomatoes, fresh cucumbers, and (hopefully) sweet corn at peak season freshness.

Leading up to the event, the Market will launch the Local Food Cup Bracket with voting on social media stories beginning June 1 and in-person voting at the Market every Saturday up to the event. Customers can join in the fun by choosing their favorite local food team and following along as the competition unfolds throughout the month. Will Team Tomato claim victory? Or will Team Corn, Team Beets, or Team Berry take home the title?

Customers will also be able to show off their team spirit with limited-edition tote bags featuring their favorite food team, along with special giveaways, fun trinkets, and event merchandise available throughout the celebration.

As Kansas prepares to welcome visitors from Algeria this summer, the Local Food Cup will also include educational opportunities exploring how local foods from the Lawrence region connect with Algerian culture and traditional recipes. Customers can pick up recipes at the Market, learn about shared ingredients and food traditions, and discover creative ways local Kansas-grown produce can be incorporated into Algerian-inspired dishes. Additional recipe cards and demonstrations will highlight both local ingredients and Algerian-inspired cooking, creating a unique opportunity to explore global food traditions through local food.

The fun doesn’t stop there! Guests can stop by the dunk tank, where Mayor Brad Finkeldei and Douglas County Commissioner Patrick Kelly will take their turns in the hot seat. Additional activities include a photo booth, a soccer shootout and practice goals hosted with Coaches Closet and Kansas Women's soccer goalkeeper Sophie Dawe, and cooling stations to help beat the summer heat.

Many Vendors will also be offering special products, limited-quantity items, and event-day specials available only during the Local Food Cup celebration.

The Local Food Cup is designed to celebrate everything that makes the Lawrence Farmers Market special — local food, local businesses, and the community connections built here over the last 50 years. From farmers and bakers to artists and makers, every Vendor helps create a vibrant local economy and a welcoming Saturday tradition for thousands of local families and visitors each season.

Whether you’re a longtime Market regular or visiting for the first time, the Local Food Cup is the perfect opportunity to spend the morning shopping local, tasting fresh foods, learning something new, and celebrating summer with the community.

Follow along on the Market’s Facebook Event Page as new activities, special guests, and event details continue to be announced!