How long does a vendor have to stay at the country's top-rated farmers market before the stall is theirs to keep? This season, in its GreenMarket announcement, the City of West Palm Beach gave four longtime vendors the title of "Legacy Vendors." The title is for vendors who have been at the market for 15 years or more, and it means they "no longer need to compete for their spot."
The line reads like a housekeeping note in a season announcement. It also explains how the Saturday market on Clematis Street works. Vendors compete for space. Starting November 14, chefs compete in front of a crowd. That first chef round lands on the same day CityPlace opens its holiday season, so one Saturday covers the market in the morning and the snowfall show after dark.
A stall on the waterfront is earned
The GreenMarket is in its 32nd season, under the theme "The World, Right Here." It opened October 3 at 100 N. Clematis St. and runs Saturdays from 8:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. through May 22, 2027. Two Saturdays are off the calendar. February 6 goes to the Palm Tree Festival and March 20 to the Palm Beach International Boat Show.
The scale is the reason a stall is worth fighting for. Mayor Keith A. James said in the City's season release that the market "started with just 13 vendors in a small parking lot." The Palm Beach Post puts this season's count at "well over 100 vendors." The City says an average Saturday draws 10,000 to 15,000 visitors. In April, the market won back the No. 1 spot in the USA TODAY 10Best "Best Farmers Market" Readers' Choice poll after two years as runner-up. It had already held that top spot in 2021, 2022 and 2023.
So when the list of newcomers is short, each name on it matters. The City's release names five new vendors this season:
- Arya Tea Bar, a downtown West Palm Beach tea shop with a storefront on Clematis Street, selling matcha drinks, loose-leaf teas and fruit refreshers, according to WFLX
- Macaroner, which sells French macarons in 24 flavors, including vegan and gluten-free versions. WPTV reported this month that the bakery is back after nearly four years at the market and a yearlong break to focus on wholesale
- Truffle Smiles, which WPTV describes as selling Italian-imported truffle oils, pastas, sauces, chips, truffle mayonnaise and Parmesan Reggiano
- Sayblee Products, a hair-wellness line, per its own site
- Ba Café, the fifth name on the City's list
The four new Legacy Vendors sit at the other end of the scale. They are Leila, the West Palm Beach Middle Eastern restaurant known for hummus, tabouleh and falafel; Makebs, the West Palm Beach bagel shop that also serves sandwiches, omelets and coffee; Mozzarita, which the City's vendor list labels "The Cheese Shoppe"; and Macy's Smoked Fish Dip. All four have kept a waterfront spot for at least fifteen seasons in a market where space is contested.
The chef competition starts later this year and runs four rounds
The Master Chef Showcase takes the market's competitive streak and stages it for the crowd. The City calls it "an all-out culinary throw-down." Palm Beach County chefs cook against each other for a panel of judges, and entry is open to restaurant chefs, caterers, food trucks and private chefs. The 2026–27 dates:
- Saturday, November 14
- Saturday, December 19
- Saturday, January 30
- Saturday, April 10
The calendar starts later than last season's. The 2025–26 showcase held its first round on October 11, followed by rounds on November 8, December 13 and January 10, a semifinal on April 11 and a final on May 9. This year the opening round comes more than a month into the market season, and the City has listed four Saturdays so far.
Last season's results show who enters. Chef Eirene Quinto of the Four Seasons Resort Palm Beach won the opening round. Christine Munoz of Let Her Cook Private Chef Services won in November. May Aungthet, whose mobile kitchen Ahmay's Cuisine serves Burmese dishes, won in December. Aaron George, founder of the luxury caterer Plate Palm Beach, won in January. George and Aungthet won their semifinals in April. George took the 2025–26 title at the May 9 final on the waterfront, a round scheduled for 10:30 a.m.
The year before ran on a similar clock. The City's announcement for the April 12, 2025 finale described five chefs, a mystery-box challenge and community-leader judges, from 10:30 a.m. to noon on the Great Lawn. The City has not yet posted a start time or contestant list for November 14, so the late-morning slot is past practice, not a published schedule.
"Think you have what it takes? Email [email protected] to join the competition."
That invitation still sits on the City's showcase page, so the field for the later rounds may still be open.
November 14 runs from the waterfront to CityPlace
The showcase's first round falls on the same Saturday CityPlace opens its holiday season. That puts two of downtown's anchor events on one date, with the afternoon free in between.
8:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. GreenMarket, 100 N. Clematis St. The market sits on the Great Lawn by the water. The Post lists it as dog friendly. Going by the last two seasons, the chef round is likely to fall in the late morning.
Midday. Two downtown openings from this fall fit the gap. The Daily Focaccia opened Monday, October 5, on Evernia Street, with its storefront facing South Dixie Highway, according to the Palm Beach Post. At CityPlace, BuddhaBerry, the Hamptons frozen yogurt shop covered by Miami New Times, is at 417 S. Rosemary Ave. and lists daily hours of 11 a.m. to 9 p.m.
5 p.m. to 9 p.m. CityPlace Holiday Kickoff. CityPlace's lineup includes Mister Trombone and his band, electric violinist DJ Lexey, a preview of The Nutcracker by Ballet Palm Beach, and appearances by Santa. RSVP is through the CityPlace holidays page.
6:30, 7:30 and 8:30 p.m. Nightly Snowfall & Light Show. CityPlace's holiday overview says the shows start November 14 and run nightly through December 31. Santa photos start the same weekend at The Workshop next to Sloan's. They run Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays through December 24.
The date has a longer tail as well. The showcase comes back December 19, the last Saturday before Christmas, while the snowfall shows are still running every night.
Parking for a day that runs past dark
The City's parking rules are written for the market. They don't cover a twelve-hour Saturday. The City Center, Clematis and Sapodilla garages are free during market hours. The Banyan and Evernia garages are closest to the market and charge the City's all-day weekend flat rate of $5. If you only come for the morning, a free garage costs nothing. If you plan to stay into the evening, the $5 flat rate covers the whole day, while the free garages are free only until the market closes at 1:30 p.m.
Cyclists have another option. The Post reports that the market has a free bike valet at N. Narcissus Avenue and Clematis Street. For anything else, the City's market line is 561-822-1515, and general information is on the City's GreenMarket page.
At Triple Crown Group, we follow downtown West Palm Beach's Saturday calendar as closely as its property market, because owners here spend their weekends on the same blocks. If you're weighing a home within walking or biking distance of the waterfront, or need someone to look after a property while you're away for the season, we can talk it through. Schedule a consultation and start your property search with us.
