The Essex Garden Club's May Market has been a major Springtime event in Essex for more than 70 years. This most important fundraising event for the club began as a small plant sale across from the Griswold Inn and has grown into a garden extravaganza now held in the Town Park. It features annuals, members' perennial plants, herbs, shrubs and fresh-cut flowers, as well as garlic salt, gently-used home and garden treasures, garden gifts, and jewelry. 

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​The proceeds from May Market are used to support the club's educational and civic improvement projects, new and ongoing. These funds allow the club to beautify our parks and traffic islands in the villages of Essex, Centerbrook and Ivoryton, the Town Hall and the elementary school. May Market also supports education programs in the elementary school, horticultural programs in the middle and high schools, camperships for young students and scholarships for high school graduates and college students pursing studies in environmental sciences.​