Worcester farmers market Market on Brussels has moved to Exchange Street, rebranding itself as Market on Exchange.
Worcester farmers market Market on Brussels has moved to Exchange Street, rebranding itself as Market on Exchange ahead of its second season, starting May 17.
During its 2025 inaugural season, the former Market on Brussels was open every Sunday on Brussels Street for 28 straight weeks through the spring, summer, and early fall. The market drew 25,000 attendees and generated more than $500,000 for its vendors, said Julia Moriconi, director of Market on Brussels and owner of Mrs. Moriconi’s Ice Cream in Worcester.
This year, Moriconi wanted to build on that momentum, returning to the location where the market had its first-ever pop-up event back in 2024.
“I think bringing it back downtown, where there's more visibility, there's foot traffic, there's a lot of free street parking on Sunday, the vibrancy is going to take off where we left off last year, and it's only going to expand,” Moriconi said.
The market’s 2026 season will run every Sunday from May 17 through Oct. 25, with two pop-up holiday events on Nov. 22 and Dec. 20. The market is located along the entirety of Exchange Street, which is located between Main Street and Commercial Street.
“If people are asking for more, we are established enough to then throw up a pop-up market if we need to,” said Moriconi.
The season has already enrolled nearly 50 vendors, with each event having no fewer than 22. In addition to the 11 farms providing fresh produce, the markets will include artist vendors and those providing coffee, baked goods, alcohol, frozen prepared foods, spices, sauces, and body products.
Earlier this month, Market on Exchange officially became a nonprofit after receiving its tax-exempt status from the Internal Revenue Service.
Market on Exchange started as a one-time, proof-of-concept event on Exchange Street in 2024,
put on by Stephanie Ramey,
owner of The Bra Shop and vice president of special projects at Rucker Investments, both in Worcester.
After its original event, Ramey handed over the reins to Moriconi in early 2025, who launched its first season and has run the organization ever since.
Mica Kanner-Mascolo is a staff writer at Worcester Business Journal, who primarily covers the healthcare, manufacturing, and higher education industries.
