At 9 a.m. Sunday, the best, most exciting, most remarkable season yet for the three-year-old Auburn International Farmers Market kicks up its heels and dances into the Sound Transit Plaza.
And with tasty edibles ready for on-the-spot munching, vendors selling all sorts of goodies, not to mention the dancing and music, the performance by the Children’s Dance Theater, the face painting, the balloon animal artist and the Master Gardener demonstration, Marketing Manager Joanne Macnab might be on to something with her prognostication.
t to support the market this season,” Macnab said. “Come rain or shine, from June 12 to Sept. 25, it’s going be a great 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., 16-week season. We hope to see everybody there.”
From 7:30 a.m. to 11 a.m. Sunday, the Auburn Valley Kiwanis starts things off with a cowboy breakfast and cowboy musicians. Girl Scout Troop 51982 of Algona and Pacific will perform the flag ceremony.
“Last year, one of our City of Algona representatives on our market advisory board and a very dedicated volunteer, Jeff Viney, passed away at the end of the season,” Macnab said. “So his wife, Cathi Champion, is going to open the market in memory of her late husband.”
The Kiwanis Club will serve hamburgers and hot dogs from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. From 10 a.m. to 11 a.m., market-goers can kick back and enjoy Zumba dancing. Musician Mark Wayne will sing and play his guitar from 12 to 1 p.m., followed from 1 p.m. to 2 p.m. by a performance of the Children’s Dance Theater.
Auburn High School’s graphic design and art students have donated 20 posters to support the market, and those will be on display opening day. Customers will pick their top three favorites, and the winner of that program will go on the 2012 promotional poster.
The poor spring weather will affect the number of produce vendors opening day, but those numbers will increase as the season moves along. “We’ve got 45 vendors signed up for the season, and we anticipate 35 vendors for opening day,” said Mcnab. “Do we expect the number to grow over the year? Absolutely.”
Vendors will sell arts and crafts, plenty of fresh berries, and flowers, and some prepared-food vendors selling honey and jams and jellies.
“We’ll also have some hot prepared food like tamales, and of course hamburgers, hot dogs and kettle corn. We’re going to have two different bakeries this year. You will be able to find everything, from bread and cookies to pies and pastries,” Mcnab said.
So, why should people come out again?
“It’s important first of all to support our farmers,” Mcnab said. “We want all the people in our community that normally have to go outside their ethnic community to have access to a variety of culturally relevant, farm fresh produce.
“We’re also trying to develop a gathering place for our community and families,” McNab said. “We want to encourage people to shop in their own community and not have to leave for fresh produce. We want to promote healthy eating.”
