There is something special about a local market day.
In Smyrna, Sundays in the Market Village bring the streets to life with more than 60 local makers, artisans and food vendors. Now in its sixth season, the Smyrna Handmade Market blends the feel of a traditional farmers market with the creativity of a handmade marketplace, offering everything from baked goods and specialty foods to original artwork, candles, soaps, jewelry and more.
Just up the road, the Vinings Farmers Market at Vinings Jubilee offers its own weekly gathering on Thursday afternoons. Set near the clocktower in the historic heart of Vinings, the market features a rotating mix of vendors with seasonal produce, fresh flowers, baked goods, local honey, prepared foods and specialty treats.
Together, these markets offer more than a place to shop. They are walkable, welcoming community gatherings where neighbors can bring the kids, the dog and a tote bag, then leave with flowers for the table, something sweet for later, dinner inspiration or a handmade gift. They also offer something even better: the chance to meet the people behind the products.
From fresh pasta and stuffed cookies to locally grown blooms and custom watercolor keepsakes, these four local makers bring their own stories, talents and heart to market day.
Felix Farms
When Haley and Scott Waller moved from Alpharetta to Smyrna in 2019, they were looking for a life that felt a little slower than the corporate pace they had known for more than a decade. What they found instead was a different kind of busy — one rooted in soil, seasons, early mornings, market days and armloads of flowers.
Through Felix Farms, the couple grows cut flowers and primarily sells fresh bouquets at local farmers markets. They also supply flowers to local floral designers and create arrangements for weddings and events. Their blooms are not always the varieties shoppers are likely to find in big box stores, and that is part of what makes them special. Many are harder to ship or less commonly offered commercially, giving customers the chance to discover flowers that feel a little more personal, a little more unexpected and a lot more local.
Right now, dahlias are a customer favorite, bringing plenty of color and drama to market bouquets. Celosia is another standout, often catching attention for its unusual texture and prompting lots of questions from curious shoppers.
Felix Farms can be found at the Vinings Farmers Market on Thursdays, the Sandy Springs Farmers Market on Saturdays and the Smyrna Handmade Market on Sundays. For Haley and Scott, those market days are about more than selling flowers. They are about happy faces, returning customers and the kind of community connection that makes the hard days — and the Georgia summer heat — worthwhile.
“And all of the cute dogs,” they add.
Looking ahead, the Wallers have big dreams for Felix Farms, including future local events, farm tours and classes. Customers ask about those experiences often, and Haley and Scott hope to one day invite the community even deeper into the beauty they are growing.
Until then, locals can find them at area markets, follow along on Instagram at @felixfarmsga, or order local pickup and delivery through felixflowers.com.
Anna Favata Pasta
Some recipes are written on paper. Others are passed down through hands, habits and Sunday afternoons spent gathered in the kitchen.
For Ann Marie, the heart of Anna Favata Pasta is family. After her mother passed away, Ann Marie wanted to honor her in a way that felt meaningful and lasting. The business name grew from the women who helped shape her story: her mother, Maria Dominica Favata Scialo, and her grandmothers, Anna Scialo and Concetta Favata. Together, their names became Anna Favata — a tribute to the women who taught her that food is one of the most beautiful ways to bring people together.
Ann Marie grew up in a family where Sundays meant homemade bread, slow-simmered tomato sauce and fresh pasta made at home. With her father’s family from Naples and her mother’s from Puglia, pasta-making was more than a meal. It was a tradition, a rhythm and a reason to gather.
Today, Anna Favata Pasta carries those traditions to local markets through fresh pasta made in small artisanal batches with semola from Italy. Customers can find favorites like fettuccine and fusilli, along with specialty varieties infused with basil and rosemary or made with puréed spinach and tomato mixed directly into the dough. Ann Marie also offers Italian cookies and her father’s tomato sauce recipe, and she often brings something special each week, such as ravioli, lasagna or manicotti.
For Ann Marie, the Smyrna market community feels like an extension of the family table.
“Family is the most important part of my Italian heritage, and being part of the Smyrna market is being part of a wonderful community family,” she says.
Anna Favata Pasta can be found Sundays at the Smyrna Handmade Village Market, Fridays and Saturdays at the Acworth Farmers Market and Thursdays at the Kennesaw Market. Visit AnnaFavataPasta.com to see weekly offerings, pre-order for market pickup or arrange shipping. Follow along on Facebook and Instagram at AnnaFavataPasta.
Hummingbird Bakehouse
Some market finds are meant to be saved for later. Others are best enjoyed immediately, with zero regrets and possibly a napkin nearby.
At Hummingbird Bakehouse, Freddy Cordero has turned the humble cookie into a full dessert experience. This small, family-owned bakery specializes in big, indulgent stuffed cookies made with creative flavors, quality ingredients and the kind of joy that feels right at home at a local market.
Hummingbird Bakehouse began as a weekend passion project. Freddy started by baking for family and sharing treats with the people closest to him. Over time, that love of baking grew into a business focused on cookies that are anything but ordinary.
These are not your standard after-school cookies. Hummingbird Bakehouse cookies are thick, soft-baked and filled with rich centers like Nutella, cheesecake and cookie butter. Each one feels a little over-the-top in the very best way — part cookie, part dessert, part reason to circle back around the market before heading home.
Customer favorites include chocolate chip Nutella, white chocolate cookie butter and cosmic brownie. Freddy has also introduced gourmet protein cookies, which have quickly become popular with customers looking for something a little different without giving up the fun.
For Freddy, being part of the local market community is about more than selling sweets. The Smyrna Farmers Market gives him the chance to meet customers face-to-face, hear their feedback in real time and feel connected to the community in a meaningful way.
That spirit is baked into the business itself. Hummingbird Bakehouse is built around care, creativity and a genuine passion for making something people enjoy.
Hummingbird Bakehouse can be found online at hummingbirdbakehouse.com and on Instagram at @hummingbirdbakehouse. You can also find Freddy at the Woodstock Farmers Market on Saturdays from 8:30 a.m. to noon, with additional market appearances, including Smyrna, along the way.
Wild Garden Art
Some art is meant to decorate a room. Dana Palacio’s art is meant to hold a memory.
Through Wild Garden Art, Dana creates custom watercolor portraits of people, pets, homes and florals, along with botanical artwork inspired by antique patterns and styles. Her pieces are soft, personal and memory-filled — the kind of artwork that feels less like decoration and more like a keepsake.
“I like to say that my art is for the chronically nostalgic,” Dana says.
Wild Garden Art began in 2019 almost by accident. Dana had seen an artist creating watercolor portraits of homes and decided to try making her own as Christmas gifts for family. After posting one online, someone reached out to order a portrait of their own. That small moment opened the door to something bigger.
For several years, Dana continued painting on the side, teaching herself, practicing and expanding into new subjects. In 2023, she left the corporate world to pursue art full time.
Today, her most requested pieces are pet portraits, and as an animal lover herself, Dana understands why. She has painted dogs, cats, a lizard, a bunny and even a bird, each one with its own personality and story. She is drawn to the memories behind her subjects — the beloved pet, the first home, the wedding bouquet, the place someone wants to remember.
That same sense of connection is what she loves about Smyrna. At the handmade markets, Dana gets to meet customers face-to-face, hear their stories and build friendships with other local makers. Even as Smyrna continues to grow, she says it often still feels like a small town where word travels quickly and new and old friends cross paths.
As a disabled artist and soon-to-be new mom, Dana is also passionate about accessibility, disability rights and the importance of supporting creatives in all seasons of life. Through Wild Garden Art, she has created work that not only honors others’ memories, but also allows her to build a life around creativity, care and connection.
Wild Garden Art can be found at wildgarden.art and on Instagram and TikTok at @wildgarden.art.
At their best, local markets remind us that community is built in small, beautiful ways.
It is in the bouquet carried home from a Sunday stroll, the fresh pasta planned for dinner, the cookie shared before leaving the parking lot and the piece of art that preserves a favorite memory. It is in the conversations with makers, the familiar faces, the wagging dogs, the live music, the seasonal finds and the simple joy of discovering something made close to home.
Whether you spend a Sunday morning in Smyrna Market Village or a Thursday afternoon at Vinings Jubilee, these markets invite you to slow down and explore what local really means. Each vendor brings something different to the table, but together they tell a larger story about creativity, connection and the people who make our community feel vibrant, welcoming and alive.
So grab a tote bag, take a slow stroll and see what you discover. You may leave with flowers, dinner, dessert, a gift — or simply a renewed appreciation for the people making our corner of the world a little more beautiful.
Market Days
Smyrna Handmade Market
Sundays, 10 a.m.–2 p.m.
Smyrna Market Village
Free admission
Vinings Farmers Market
Thursdays, 2:30–6 p.m.
Vinings Jubilee
Runs mid-March through late October
Free admission