Baked goods were among the fare sold at DC Grey Market’s spring event held at Local 16. Sweet treats and many more will be in store for the fall market. (Kat Lucero)

The DC Grey Market kicks off its fourth market tomorrow, October 22 from 3-7 p.m. This time, the event will really embrace the essence of an underground market, as it operates inside a new basement venue. The gathering will be held in, what appears to be on Google Maps, an apartment building located at 1365 Kennedy Street NW. The entrance fee is $2, but tickets can be purchased online to bypass possible long lines.

The market’s website lists 24 participating vendors who will be hawking a variety of fare that attendants can immediately enjoy or take home. Food enthusiasts can expect seasonal pies and soups, Cuban-style burgers, tea-flavored frozen pops, green tomato chutney preserves, whoopie pies, gluten-free artisanal bread and much more.

This is the fourth market put together by Grey DC, an organization that provides a launching pad for local food entrepreneurs who don’t have the financial resources to pay for start-up costs such as space, licenses, inspections and marketing. Each event has been held in a different location. Restaurants Kushi Izakaya & Sushi and Local 16 hosted the first two events in January and May. The July event was an outdoor affair at a parking lot.

Growing in popularity, the allure of these foodie bazaars seems to be the fact that they operate under nebulous food licensing rules. There’s an assumed risk to consuming edible goods that have been made in unlicensed venues, but so far there have been no complaints about D.C.’s own grey market to the city’s health department, according to The Washington Post. Authorized or not, though, it’s a real treat to try out new artisan goods whipped up by local food start-ups.

D.C. Grey Market
Saturday, October 22, 3-7 p.m.
1365 Kennedy Street NW.