The Roanoke Times | File 2006

The seasonal menu at this year's Blacksburg Farmers Market breakfast includes an herb and goat cheese fritatta, sausage, bread and peaches and blueberries.

Local farmers and the Friends of the Blacksburg Farmers Market will host their annual community breakfast Saturday.

The event, held at the market at Roanoke Street and Draper Road, raises awareness of local foods and is meant "to get people to think about buying food and cooking at home," said friends group founder Kathryn Albright.

This year's $6 entrance fee will not only buy a breakfast of locally produced eggs, cheeses, meats, breads and fruits, but also any profits will help with design and construction of a new market structure.

Every Saturday and some Wednesday afternoons throughout the year, the market draws shoppers interested in both organic and conventional vegetables and meat products. Local florists, cheese makers, bakers and artisans also sell their wares there.

If eventually approved by the town, which owns the property, the new market design would reconfigure what is now a parking lot into a community gathering space. As currently conceived, it would move the market vendor stalls away from the road and create a park and events space with limited vehicle access

The number of sheltered vendor stalls would more than double, from nine to 20, to accommodate the continued growth of the market. According to market director Jenny Schwanke, since this time last year the number of vendors has risen from 19 to about 30, depending on the time of the season.

Breakfast Saturday begins with a first seating at 8:30 a.m., followed by a seating at 9:30 a.m. and another at 10:30 a.m.

The seasonal menu this year includes an herb and goat cheese fritatta, sausage, bread and peaches and blueberries.

Students from Virginia Tech's architecture and design school will serve, Albright said. Local singer/songwriter Kat Mills will perform.

Regular market vendors will also be selling their products.