Last Saturday my sister and I headed downtown to visit the Riverside Arts Market, a free market held beneath the Fuller Warren Bridge. Rain or shine, this farmers market sells everything from handmade candles to street food and local produce and flowers to baked goods.

Many people bring their dogs (part of the fun in attending), and there’s often live music down by the St. Johns River to accompany the overall vibe of the market.

While there, we wandered up and down the stalls, bought a few handmade hair clips and listened to music. While we weren’t particularly hungry, seeing the many food options made me promise to come on an empty stomach next time, as there were more than a few food stalls that I smelled before I saw. Food vendors include 904 Burgers, Catbird Coffee Roasters, Cely’s Filipino Food, Crown Majestic Kitchen and more.

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I even spotted a stall from Congaree and Penn, LLC, the vegetable producers responsible for providing some of the produce for The Ritz-Carlton Amelia Island, where I was lucky to enjoy a fabulous farm-to-table meal highlighting vegetables sourced from Farmer Lee Jones of Ohio and north Florida’s very own Congaree and Penn.

The Riverside Arts Market also sells items like custom wood art, a photo studio for the perfect portrait of your furry friend, fresh honey and local art.

Should you be in Jacksonville on a Saturday, head to this market, open every Saturday, 10 a.m.–3 p.m.

— Aoife O’Riordan, associate editor