Farmers market is ready for 2016!

Published 9:03 pm Tuesday, May 3, 2016

Sequim Farmers Market

Opening Day: Saturday, May 7

Open Saturdays 9 a.m.-3 p.m. through October

Downtown Sequim at Sequim Avenue, Washington Street

Contacts: www.sequimmarket.com;  manager@sequimmarket.com; 460-2668

The Sequim Farmers Market is brimming with anticipation.

All the little elves have been steadily developing, creating, refining, polishing their wares and planting their seeds over our six-month hiatus.

Finally the day has come to fill up the trucks, cars, wagons and totes, throw in the tent and hit the road. With new T-shirts printed and purple flags flying, you will begin to see the fresh market with many new faces.

The market once again will reside in the epicenter of Downtown Sequim, Centennial Place, at the corner of Sequim Avenue and Washington Street, as well as the adjacent “Green Lot.”

We are grateful to be part of the central corridor of downtown, where all can find us with ease and this year we are happy to be celebrating our 21st year as a market.

Over the winter, the inspired board of directors took to task the rebuilding of our budget with sponsorship efforts that persisted beyond our wildest dreams. This has led to the expansion of our music program, new promotions and the positive asset of keeping rates down so our vendors can prosper.

We proudly welcome 30 businesses to our Sponsorship Community! You can meet many of them onsite such as Wilder Auto, BrokersGroup, Mountain Propane, First Federal, Sequim Lavender Growers, Turies Treasures, Bell & Davis Law Offices and The UPS Store, which has organized a series of community groups to utilize its participation. This truly personifies the community networking that is possible here.

As you get to know the market sponsors, please extend your gratitude to these businesses for contributing to the vitality of our community.

The food at the market will delight you. With Billy Bob’s taking a year off and Crumb Grabbers retired, we are welcoming a host of fresh new food purveyors.

You will find the ole Crave Cart has been revitalized serving unique gourmet hot dogs, now called Dapper Dogs. We have some new organic, vegan, gluten-free food options, such as Thrive Cafe and Goodness Tea and more in the wings.

This year has brought about a dozen new artisans — we have a new apiary, Sequim Bee Farm, plus a new produce farm Westward Farm. As always everything at the market is handmade by the artisans selling it. The produce is locally grown with the exception of some heat-loving items such as melons in the summer. Many of our seasoned vendors will be back with their enduring, high quality products.

On Opening Day, May 7, The Old Sidekicks will be playing from 11 a.m.-2 p.m.

Our music lineup this season is from mid-June through mid-September. We are excited to have back many of the talented, lively bands that dwell in our midst.

Check our website to see the calendar. The music also is listed in our brochure which you can pick up at the market booth.

Please welcome our new market assistant Emily Traughber. She is a very competent 16-year-old from Port Angeles who is going to be a great member of the market this season.

And as you can see, I, Lisa Bridge, once again will be the market manager, going into my seventh year, and I couldn’t be more grateful to serve this wonderful local business and community-oriented organization.

See you at the market!