Organic 'Twilight Market' Debuts Tuesday

Want to miss the rush hour commute to Lutz in favor of  a little local flavor? There's a perfect excuse this Tuesday evening—and every Tuesday hereafter.

Twilight Market debuts Tuesday, Jan. 15.  at The Roosevelt 2.0, 1812 N. 15th Street in Ybor City. The event runs from 5 p.m. until 10 p.m., with live music starting at 6 p.m.

The market, which will operate every Tuesday, will provide space for local vendors to sell items such as produce, plants, fresh baked goods, soaps and crafts. Revenue goes to The Roosevelt 2.0, a local venue for all things artistic.

Local vendors who will be selling goods at Tuesday's inaugural event include The Sausage Laboratory, Natural Goodness and Joey's Biscotti.

Tiffany Ferrecchia, who operates open-air fresh markets from Wiregrass to Hyde Park, and is co-owner of Tampa Bay Markets, is spearheading Tuesday's market.

Ferrecchia also began Urban Coalition of Tampa Bay, a nonprofit sponsoring the Twilight Market that she hopes will connect "all that is green, sustainable or organic for Tampa Bay."

Though Tampa Bay is home to many organic markets, Ferrecchia said she wants Twilight Market to put the customer in touch with local farmers, and provide more green vendors to the public.

"The other markets have some of that, but it's not just limited to that," she said. "This market is just limited to that. It'll be a  mixture of food and hand crafts."

She said Ybor City was a key location after she spoke to members of Tampa Bay's communities who live and work there.

"They said, 'I want to come by and grab a bag of produce instead of going to the grocery store,'" Ferrecchia said. "More so, there isn't an organic market or presence in Ybor at all."

For more information, call the Urban Coalition at 813-666-7348.