Over the course of the last several weeks, the Eagan Community Center has been hosting a Winter Market in its Oasis area. It advertises selling items anywhere between fresh root vegetables to warm and crumbly fruit strudels. Given the rather festive time of year, this seems to be a perfect place for holiday presents or treats to celebrate them.

The Winter Market has about twenty vendors working, each time it opens. One of them being Mary-Jane Cincado, who presents a wide array of items to buy. In her stand alone Cincado describes how she sells “anything from apple butters and about fifteen different jams and jellies to roasted salsa, spaghetti sauce and four different kinds of pickles. Kimchi too!” For those who are hesitant to purchase the products, nearly every vendor provided a sample of the items they had on display. Such as providing pieces of bread to sample spaghetti sauce or giving testers of homemade lotion products. Everyone who comes is almost certain to find something for them at the Winter Market.

There also seems to be a strong sense of camaraderie at the Winter Market, along with a warm and inviting atmosphere. Joshua Matthews, an on-goer of the market, stated “it’s just an amazing place to go shopping, there’s a much closer relationship between the sellers and buyers that you just don’t see in a grocery store.” The appreciation for this environment seems to be a trend as Cincado explained her favorite aspect of the Winter Market was “the atmosphere, with the people it’s a much more personal setting.”

For those interested in the broad range of purchasable items and the welcoming atmosphere provided by the Winter Market, they are open every other weekend from 10AM-1PM. The central location of vendors is at Eagan Community Center’s Oasis area. The wide variety from everything to German pulled pork and salsa to chocolates and honey assures the Winter Market is an excellent place for anyone to visit this winter.