The economy in recent months has been tough for many people. As the holidays approach, gift-giving can strain already tightened purse strings.
Luckily, there are lots of opportunities to fulfill everyone’s wishlists on a budget, while directly supporting small businesses.
Volusia County’s many flea and farmers markets have great selections of goods for cheap.
Picture this: A massive garage sale on one end, and a small farmers market on the other. That’s what you’ll find at the Wednesday Farmers Market at the Volusia County Fairgrounds east of DeLand, from 8 a.m.-noon each week. This sprawling market is made up of more than 50 vendors selling everything from fresh local produce to antiques and off-the-wall goods.
Here you can grab apparel, jewelry, collector’s items, handmade goods and much more. During this reporter’s last visit, I saw a crystal glassware sets for $10, three T-shirts for $5 and designer boots for $15. And that’s not even accounting for haggling, which is not only allowed, but encouraged.
The variety alone makes the market a phenomenal option for holiday shopping, especially since it truly has something for everyone. Several regular vendors have groceries and cleaning supplies for much cheaper than you’d find elsewhere, so if you’ve been looking for ways to get around these rising grocery prices in the wake of inflation, the Wednesday Farmers Market is a solid option.
Market round-up
Volusia hosts so many local markets, all of which offer fresh local produce, art, collectibles and more. Check out these options below. There’s so much to explore!
Wednesday Farmers Market — 3150 E. New York Ave., DeLand (6 a.m.-noon Wednesdays)
Artisan Alley Market — 104 Artisan Alley, DeLand (6-9 p.m. Fridays)
Daytona Flea and Farmer’s Market — 1425 Tomoka Farms Road, Daytona Beach (9 a.m.-5 p.m. Friday-Sunday)
DeLeon Springs Farm Swap — 1871 State Road 40, DeLeon Springs (7 a.m.-noon Saturdays)
Moose Market — 1081 N. Volusia Ave., Orange City (9-11 a.m. Saturdays)
Lake Helen Saturday Market — 493 S. Lakeview Drive, Lake Helen (8 a.m.-1 p.m. Saturdays)
Just be sure to bring cash, since few vendors have card readers and the ATM on the premises has a high transaction fee.
“This market has such amazing variety, and really great prices. I especially love the produce vendors here,” Jillian Semmel, a DeLand resident and Stetson University student, said.
The Artisan Alley Farmers and Makers Market is another popular pick for gift ideas. This market occurs every Friday 6-9 p.m. in Artisan Alley between West New York and West Georgia avenues in Downtown DeLand.
While you likely won’t be able to haggle your way to a bargain here, you can find reasonably priced handmade goods that make for great gifts.
Another market to try is the Daytona Flea and Farmers Market, which is open 9 a.m.–5 p.m. Friday–Sunday and is absolutely massive, as it boasts a whopping 650 registered vendors and clocks approximately 2 million annual visitors.
Not only can you save money by shopping locally at these markets, but you also have the added benefit of supporting small local businesses, which puts money directly in the pockets of community members instead of large corporations. Shop local and save!
