By Lily Wellen and Laura Harvey   Published Jun 14, 2016 at 3:02 PM

Explore the best Milwaukee has to offer with VISIT Milwaukee and OnMilwaukee this summer by "Urban Exploring." We'll be sharing parks to hike, walls to climb, rivers to paddle, trails to bike and so much more. Be a tourist in your own town and experience it with us! 

The Westown Farmers Market is perfect for a weekday work break, whether you want a quick lunch or a long stroll through the park to check out all the goodies available from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. every Wednesday.

We took a look at what’s new at this year’s market, as well as some places you’ll be happy to see returning for this summer. Check out some of the must-have items we found and head over to our Farmers Market guide for information on more local markets. 

1. Robran’s flowers

Get some flowers and plants here to add some pizzaz to your garden this summer. All of the greenery is grown at Robran’s greenhouse and veggies in Waterford. With the most variety of flowers and potted plants, if you are interested in sprucing up your garden, this is the place to go.

2. Angela's Bright Ideas 

After learning how to adorn candle holders with printed tissues while working on decorating her own home, Angela decided to take her newly-honed craft to the market. These flameless candle holders come in a variety of beautiful styles, and many are embellished with pure silver charms or ropes and ribbons. They also offer custom orders online, so feel free to get creative!

3. Cake My Design

Cake my Design offers everything from pound cakes to cupcakes and cake jars, all made from scratch (no cake mixes here!). The owner has been baking since she was young, but started making cakes professionally about five years ago. This is her first farmers market, so come out to grab some samples and take home a sweet treat.

4. J-Wade Confections

It may not be every day that you see caramels at a farmers market, but J-Wade Confections certainly does this unique market fare right. Offering both traditional wrapped as well as chocolate dipped caramels, J-Wade has created over 26 flavors that rotate seasonally, from pretzel beer to chipotle and seaside vanilla. The caramels are also made with as many locally sourced ingredients as possible, including Lakefront Brewery beer and Sassy Cow cream. 

 5. Viola's Honey

Whether it's oatmeal or some toast, there's nothing that some locally sourced honey can't improve. Viola’s Honey extracts its product from hives located all over Milwaukee, all of which it owns. Each of the five distinct honeys are influenced by the flowers they are produced from, creating a unique taste for each flavor. When you hit up the market, be sure to stop by and grab a bottle.

6. Jabby's Dog Treats

For anyone looking to give their furry friend the best quality treats possible, be sure to head to Jabby’s Dog Treats to pick up some all-natural goodies. Inspired by a desire for tasty treats that would encourage dogs to enjoy training sessions, Jabby’s uses only "human-grade ingredients" such as brown rice, chia seeds and real meat. The next time your puppy is craving bacon, take a walk over to Jabby’s.

7. Cowboy Kettle Corn

Deciding between sweet or salty is always a tough decision, but if you come across Cowboy Kettle Corn at the market, you can get both. Cowboy Kettle Corn gets its corn from Indiana and then pops it fresh at the market. Doug Gutenkunst and his team sell it in small or large bags that you can pick up at the market each week. Ye hew, hot kettle corn here.

 8. Soap of the Earth

Take a break from the tasty treats at the market and stop by the Soap of the Earth stand to get some soaps, deodorants and balms. All of its products are crafted locally in Whitewater with organic ingredients, so they're completely free of any potentially irritating chemicals. The stand also offers a variety of lovely scents to appeal to everyone, from peppermint to tea tree and rose. You can grab a few samples to try it out and then purchase some to take home.