Dodge Park Farmers Market

Dodge Park Farmers Market

Lorene Laurence, market manager for the Dodge Park Farmers Market in Sterling Heights, explained how the market creates a “party every Thursday night.” Check out this market for unique experiences like your choice of 12 different food trucks every week, music in the park, fun events like movie nights and a Juneteenth celebration, and more. This market opens June 6 and runs through Sept. 26, and hosts 6,000 to 7,000 shoppers and gatherers weekly. 

Walking Lightly

Walking Lightly

Walking Lightly in Ferndale is a sustainable living destination offering a zero waste store and refillery. It provides a range of eco-friendly products and services aimed at helping community members reduce waste and live more sustainably. In addition to offering local delivery and nationwide shipping of solid sustainable products, Walking Lightly serves as a resource and hub in the community, offering terracycling programs, workshops, composting, and information sharing. Founded by Tessa Benziger, a social worker and mother of three, Walking Lightly embodies a commitment to environmental justice and sustainability, aiming to be both a local and global force for positive change.

Birmingham Farmers Market

Birmingham Farmers Market

Jaimi Brook, events and operations manager for the City of Birmingham, stopped by to tell us about this Sunday market, which runs 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at 660 N. Old Woodward in downtown Birmingham. This year, the market will debut the strawberry jam-boree on June 16, plus old favorites like second Sunday fitness events. Browse locally grown products and artisan goods from 40 to 50 vendors every weekend.

Gnomerie Kitchen

Gnomerie Kitchen

Chris Paquet is a trained chef who works at a local restaurant, but he also runs Gnomerie Kitchen out of his home in Farmington Hills. Guests can sign up to enjoy a six-course dinner of small plates, plus dessert and a few surprises, once a month. On May 18, Chris will be serving squab, a game meat. Enjoy this unique “supper club” concept right in Chris’s dining room. You can reserve the whole table of eight, or come and meet new people. Bring your own drinks.

Saffron and Salt

Saffron and Salt

Ashley Priest is the self-proclaimed chief spice officer of Saffron & Salt, a home grown condiment business based in Royal Oak. You can find her candied jalapenos, the signature product, in many local stores, plus the Royal Oak, Rochester and Clawson Farmers Markets. And she’s expanded to offer gems like firecracker carrots and sweet burn pickles, plus love bite cream cheese, the latest addition. Ashley’s done the canning for you, and you can enjoy the spoils!