• Courtesy Of Capital City Farmers Market
• The hallway at Caledonia Spirits that will host the Capital City Farmers Market's winter market

The Capital City Farmers Market will have a new home this winter at Caledonia Spirits' Montpelier distillery at 116 Gin Lane. Known for its Barr Hill Gin, Caledonia will host the popular winter market beginning on Saturday, December 7.

"The market has struggled for a long time to find an adequate space with a more permanent agreement," interim manager Keri Ryan said. "Caledonia Spirits has bent over backwards for us, and we're so excited to be there this winter."

Previous sites for the market have been the City Center and the Vermont College of Fine Arts. In the search for a new location, the distillery — which opened in June — was a "no-brainer," Ryan said. "It's a beautiful, well-lit space and is a great fit visually ... [Caledonia Spirits] is a big supporter of Vermont's working landscape, and this makes sense with their history in agriculture."

At least 27 vendors will set up in the distillery's long hallway, selling local produce, meat, cheese, honey, maple syrup, prepared foods, crafts and more. The distillery will open its bar area at 10 a.m. and have its usual Saturday food vendor, JDK BBQ, on-site.

Market organizers are aware that the distillery location may be difficult for people in recovery, Ryan said, noting that the market will be separate from the bar area.

Green Mountain Transit will offer deviation service to the distillery to shoppers who call to request it 24 hours in advance. "It is a bit of a longer walk from downtown, and we still wanted it to be accessible," Ryan said.

The market will run from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on the first three Saturdays of December, then every other Saturday from January 4 through April 25.

Come May, when the market goes outdoors, it will again have a new location: the lot at 2 Taylor Street. Next to the market's previous summer home, the lot offers more space and a longer lease, Ryan said.