The Portland Winter Farmers’ Market is returning to the recently closed Maine Girls’ Academy gymnasium at 631 Stevens Ave. The opening day will be Dec. 1.

The market will be held in the gym every Saturday through April 20, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. More than 20 farmers are signed up to sell vegetables, cheeses, eggs, mushrooms, dairy products and meat.

Can you use a year’s supply of carrots? A gallon of maple syrup? A gift certificate to Evo Kitchen + Bar in Portland? All of these will be auctioned off on the opening day to benefit the market’s Low Income Access Program. Other silent auction items include hours of college counseling, baby photography, an artisan quilt and sports massage therapy. Mary Ellen Chadd of Green Spark Farm in Cape Elizabeth, who helps organize the market, is seeking more auction donations from local businesses. She can be reached at maryellenchadd@gmail.com.

The Market Information Booth will offer SNAP/EBT double dollars on opening day. For every dollar spent with a SNAP/EBT card, the recipient gets two extra Maine Harvest Bucks (a nutrition incentive program) to spend on fruits and vegetables.

The winter farmers market has 125 parking spaces, along with street parking, and bus routes M9A and M9B stop outside the front door.

Meredith Goad can be contacted at 791-6332 or at:

mgoad@pressherald.com

Twitter: MeredithGoad