The Mt. Lebanon Lions Club has operated a weekly farmers market for the community since 1990, raising money for charitable causes while supporting local vendors for 36 years. This year, the market continues its tradition from 4 to 7 p.m. every Wednesday, from the first week of June through the last week of October.
The market features a variety of vendors and live music each week. Lions Club President John Brown, who founded the farmers market and continues to organize it, recognizes the importance of creating a gathering place for the community.
“It’s a community market,” Brown said. “You can sit here and there are dogs, people, kids, bicycles. So why not do a community event? It’s midweek, and there’s great food.”
A fan favorite is the fresh salsa and aguas frescas made by Edward Martinez, who sells his homemade products at markets throughout the Pittsburgh area. Martinez has participated in the Lions Club market for the past five years and has no plans to stop anytime soon.
“There’s a farmers market circuit, and people talk, and everybody says that Lebo is a great one,” Martinez said. “It’s really the people. We’ve built a rapport with the customers coming here for the last five years.”
The Lions Club is a humanitarian organization founded in 1917. A significant part of its mission focuses on preventing blindness, with a large portion of proceeds supporting the SightFirst Program. Other fundraising efforts benefit food security initiatives, youth programs and disaster relief efforts.
Dilner Family Farm has also been a longtime staple of the market, providing fresh fruits and vegetables to Mt. Lebanon families for 20 years. Jon Dilner continues his parents’ legacy, giving customers a reason to skip the grocery store in favor of fresh, locally grown produce each week.
“It’s a very vibrant community,” Dilner said. “We try to do a good job of having variety at every one of the farmers markets, but I would say this one is really nice. We’re picking fresh, and we go off what’s growing throughout the season, though our sweet corn is probably our biggest claim to fame.”
The Lions Club offers a variety of activities for the community, and member Ann Ritchie was first introduced to the organization through one of its weekly book clubs. She has been involved with the farmers market for eight years and has helped Brown recruit vendors that meet the community’s needs.
“People want something they can pick up easily for dinner,” Ritchie said. “And you need a bread vendor.”
Wood Street Bakery helps complete the perfect farmers market haul with fresh sourdough loaves and a variety of specialty breads. Michael Kilbert has sold at the Mt. Lebanon market for the past two years, although the bakery has participated in the Lions Club market since it began in 1990. So far, business has been strong.
“We sold out last week,” Kilbert said. “We use the finest ingredients we can get. These recipes have been around for more than 30 years, and in the bread world, that’s pretty important.”
While supporting local businesses and raising money for charity, the Mt. Lebanon Lions Club continues to create a welcoming summer tradition for the community. Customers are encouraged to stop by for fresh produce, prepared foods and live music on the lawn.
“It’s a weeknight event that’s just lovely,” Brown said. “And by 6 o’clock, you can see families on the lawn. They’ve made a picnic out of it.”
The market is held every Wednesday from 4 to 7 p.m. at 975 Washington Road. To support the Lions Club or learn how to get involved, contact mojohn2121@yahoo.com.
