PORTSMOUTH—Earth Candy Farmacy (ECF) is shining a spotlight on local vendors this weekend with Localpalooza—an event which will bring fresh, local produce, goods, and other small business wares to all who attend.

On Saturday, July 23 from 1 p.m. until 5 p.m., vendors will gather in and around ECF to participate in the free event. According to Kinsey Hall, manager and soon-to-be owner of the business, about half of the vendors expected to attend supply stock to the Farmacy on a regular basis.

ECF’s mission according to their Facebook page is to “strive[…] for zero waste through all locally supported goods.” During regular business, visitors to ECF can enjoy a wide selection of local goods, from farm grown tomatoes and cucumbers to freshly baked bread, desserts, cold-pressed juices and smoothies, and even crafts and beauty supplies.

“We get produce from local farmers—our cold pressed juices a lot of times will get local produce, like the collards and the kale and the spinach that go in those. We have jams and jellies that people make from things they’ve grown themselves. It is definitely very natural, very hands-on, a lot of the times it’s just a couple of people that are behind the companies we have,” Hall explained.

Localpalooza—an event which ECF strives to put on at least twice a year—is a way to offer a wider range of local goods and small businesses to the folks who are interested in ECF’s mission. Hall says that the products and services available—both at ECF and at Localpalooza—are far more unique that what big box grocery stores have to offer.

“The products that we have, we have things that you can’t really go to Kroger and buy. They’re unique items that we have. We have dairy products that you can’t find at Kroger—artisanal things that are more niche,” she said.

The parking area surrounding ECF will be filled with around 8-10 vendors during the Localpalooza event, by Hall’s estimation. Music by Dakota Free will set the tone for at least part of the event, and attendees are encouraged to bring their chairs or blankets if they wish to set up and listen to the music.

With sustainability always in mind, Hall says that ECF will offer a refillable water bottle station complete with necessary hand sanitizing measures. She encouraged those attending to bring their refillable bottles to reduce waste. Smoothies and cold pressed juices will also be available for attendees to enjoy, as the temperature is expected to climb for the event.

It will be easy to beat the heat, however, surrounded by all the fresh fare at Localpalooza. A slow drip coffee truck will also be on site for those needing to stay both hydrated and caffeinated.

ECF’s fourth Localpalooza is one of the many ways that Hall and the staff are working to bring local, sustainable small business practices to the community at large. And she hopes that the community will turn out in large numbers to show support not only for ECF and the event’s vendors, but for small businesses in general.

“It’s somebody’s livelihood,” Hall said of supporting small businesses. “I feel like when you can contribute to that—even us here as a small business—every time a customer comes in, it’s so exciting. And I feel like we get to offer that too. When we are supported, they are supported.”

Localpalooza runs from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m on Saturday, July 23rd at Earth Candy Farmacy. For more information and an updated list of vendors, follow Earth Candy Farmacy on Facebook. ECF is located at 722 6th Street in Portsmouth.