Blount County Farm Days at Rural King: A Twice-Monthly Market Maryville Kids Actually Like
If you have spent a Saturday morning circling the parking lot for a downtown market spot, here is a lower-pressure alternative that has been quietly running in Maryville since 2022: Blount County Farm Days at Rural King, in the store parking lot at 945 McCammon Ave.
It runs twice a month, on the second and fourth Saturdays. Vendors set up by around 10 a.m. and stay until they pack up, so there is no single ending time to race against.
The lineup changes each date, which is honestly half the fun. On the farm side you might find chicken and quail eggs, hatching eggs, chicks, poultry, goat and livestock feed, or homestead classes. Food vendors have included fresh-milled sourdough (Knead for Speed), cottage-baked pies and sweets, and jams, jellies, salsas, and relishes. There are often handmade candles, soaps, and crocheted plushies — which is where kids tend to linger.
Two things make this one especially easy for parents: it is free, and the vendors do not charge for a spot, so it stays a genuinely casual, community-market feel rather than a high-pressure retail experience. It is mostly outdoors in the Rural King parking lot, so bring the stroller, dress for the weather, and expect a wandering, see-what-catches-their-eye kind of outing rather than a formal farmers market with strict produce rules. It pairs well with a quick trip inside the store afterward if the kids need a bathroom or a snack break.
For the most current vendor list and any date changes, the market keeps a public Facebook group (Blount County Farm Days). If your family is on the hunt for cheap, locally-grown eggs or just wants a low-key Saturday thing to do that does not require tickets, this is a good one to mark on the calendar.