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Long before farmers' markets became a weekend ritual in nearly every New York neighborhood, there was the Union Square Greenmarket.
This Friday, July 31, the city's most iconic greenmarket will celebrate its 50th birthday with a free public party that promises to be just as lively as the market itself. From 4pm to 8pm, Union Square will turn into an evening festival with live jazz, food from some of the city's favorite restaurants, a beer garden and, naturally, birthday cake.
The celebration marks five decades since the Union Square Greenmarket first opened in 1976, when a small group of regional farmers began selling directly to New Yorkers. Today, what started as a modest market has become one of the city's defining food destinations, drawing everyone from neighborhood regulars and home cooks to some of the country's biggest chefs.
Friday's festivities will feature live performances by musicians with the Jazz Foundation, along with food and drinks available for purchase from a lineup of local favorites, including Long Count, Osteria 57, Cmartys Jerk, Brooklyn Curry Project, Lighthouse BK, Breads Bakery and Abigail's Kitchen. A short anniversary program is planned for the evening, with the official cake-cutting scheduled for 6pm. The event is free to attend, though food and beverages will be available for purchase. Families are welcome and organizers promise activities for all ages.
The anniversary is also a chance to reflect on the market's impact on the city. Over the past half-century, GrowNYC Greenmarkets have helped connect regional farmers with millions of New Yorkers, make fresh, seasonal produce more accessible and shape the city's restaurant scene. Union Square, in particular, has become synonymous with local food, turning the neighborhood into one of New York's premier culinary destinations.
If you're feeling nostalgic, GrowNYC is also collecting memories from longtime market visitors, including photographs and recipes, as well as essays, poems, and stories about favorite vendors and unforgettable market finds.
Whether you're there for peak-season tomatoes, a loaf of Breads Bakery babka or simply an excuse to celebrate one of New York's happiest public spaces, Friday's birthday party is a fitting tribute to a market that's been feeding the city—and bringing people together—for half a century.