ITHACA, N.Y. (WENY) -- The Ithaca Farmers Market has reopened for the 2025 outdoor season, but not without changes. As ongoing improvements are being made near the pavilion, attendees are sharing their thoughts on the upgrades.

The rainy weather didn't stop people from heading out to the first day of the outdoor market season. However, a new and improved parking lot situation had some feeling excited and others somewhat overwhelmed.

A project to improve the Ithaca Farmers Market has been in the works for years. Because of a $3.2 million grant from the New York Department of state, that idea is finally coming to life. Phase one is taking care of the parking lot that some attendees say has been a problem for years.

"It forced you to drive slowly up there, which is a good thing in a parking lot right, especially with people coming and going, but oh my god, you would slam your car if you weren't careful," said Phil Syphrit, a decades-long market attendee. "So getting that taken care of absolutely needed to happen and will be a positive thing."

For months, crews have been clearing out the lot, filling potholes, forming a new layout, and laying bricks to create a walkway outside the pavilion. Saturday marked opening day for the outdoor season, and work was not yet completed because of weather conditions.

"We're out here for our new season with our new parking lot, which is mostly completed, not a hundred percent, and probably over the next two to three weeks it'll be done," said Jan Rhodes Norman, the board president of the Ithaca Farmers Market.

Other representatives from the farmers market shared that it could take anywhere from weeks to two more months to finish up the lot and walkway as well as replanting the greenery.

"The next couple of weeks will see the paving of, its going to be pervious pavement, which means instead of the water running off into the inlet, it's much more eco-friendly, it percolates down to the inlet," said Rhodes Norman. "It's much more eco-friendly, it percolates down to the groundwater level. And it'll be less dusty and less ruts in the parking lot. But we'll also be filling all of the little planter areas in with trees and flowers, and that's something that we're kind of known for down here anyway."

While getting used to the new layout on the first market day outdoors, some attendees said they were a bit confused.

"We drove and circled and were like pointing at 'Is this where we go? Did we go here? No, wait, that's a site, wait what?' Eventually ended up in the overflow parking lot," said Syphrit.

Despite the weather and parking challenges, people were understanding about the construction process and happy to be back outside.

"They're excited," said Rhodes Norman. "You know, people are not only excited to be back down here on the waterfront, but they're excited by the new lot. they like it. they like the new promenade that we have out here with the brickwork, which is not only attractive, but it makes it more accessible. It makes it easier for people to get in and out."

Syphrit added that this will not stop him and his wife from attending the market that they have come to for decades, and he looks forward to its completion.

"I totally want them to be hugely successful," said Syphrit. "I totally support all of the local farmers who come here, the craft people who come here. I know many of them. But oh my god, get this parking lot ready."

As construction crews continue to be hard at work on the parking lot, Rhodes Norman shared that more work will eventually happen in the pavilion and the waterfront, but it is a multi-phase project, and the first priority was the parking lot.

She adds that the market is currently working on matching the state's grant, they've already reached the $600,000 minimum they were required to, and they're on their way to nearly $800,000 raised. However, they're still accepting donations.


If you'd like to donate or check out updates on the construction process, you can head over to the Ithaca Farmers Market website.