Leelanau’s newest market will host its grand opening celebration this weekend on Friday, August 9, and Saturday, August 10. The Lively NeighborFood Market is co-located with Backyard Burdickville Campground, formerly the Empire Eagle’s Campground, and features local produce, meat, dairy, prepared food, flowers and gifts. The market opened in July, and this weekend they invite the public to stop in for shopping, special events, and opportunities to connect. 

The market, owned and run by long-time Burdickville residents Jim and Kelly Lively, was funded in part by a crowd-funding campaign this spring, where supporters contributed funds to some of the initial startup costs. The business is intended to create added connections between local farmers and their neighbors, with a direct-to-consumer model that cuts out the need for a distributor. Farms who previously only sold their goods at farmer’s markets will now have a consistent place to sell their products, and consumers now have an option to buy from their local farmers in one place year-round. 

This weekend’s events kick off with an official ribbon cutting ceremony on Friday, August 9 at 9:00am. Farmer’s Creamery will be on-site from 11:00am-3:00pm on Friday with ice cream and yogurt samples, followed by an open reception for the public to come meet the staff and vendors selling their goods in the market. The reception is from 3:00pm-6:00pm on Friday. On Saturday, August 10, Mel&Fell will host a pop-up brunch, open to the public. 

The market features goods from a number of local farms, including Bluebird Farm and Garden, The Lively Farm (run by the Lively's daughter Jane), Anavery Fine Foods, Recker Swine Farm, Noonan and Sons, and more. Locally raised meat, in-season produce, and dairy products are all available. Empire caterers Mel & Fell, who manufacture out of the NeighborFood Market’s commercial kitchen, are selling prepared grab-and-go food in the market. 

Food for Thought, Higher Grounds Coffee, Stonehouse Bread, Hill Top Ice Cream, Leelanau Cheese, and Farmer’s Creamery are also selling their goods in the market, alongside artisan gifts from Kristin Hurlin, Wandering Waters Designs, and Land of Milk & Honey Soaps. 

The NeighborFood Market is open seven days a week; 8:00am-7:00pm Monday-Saturday, and 10:00am-4:00pm on Sundays. The market is located at 3805 W Empire Hwy, Empire, MI 49630