The sun might not have decided to make an appearance, but the gray skies were not enough to dampen the spirits of those who attended the inaugural Auburn International Farmers Market last Sunday.
After an opening ceremony, including welcomes from Auburn Mayor Pete Lewis, Pacific Mayor Rich Hildreth and Algona Mayor David Hill, the throng of shoppers got their chance to peruse the plethora of produce, flowers and eats spread out in the Auburn Transit Center Plaza.
For Auburn City Councilman Bill Peloza, who spearheaded the formation of the market and served as master of ceremonies for the opening celebration, the debut of the market marks a significant step in the development of Auburn’s sleepy downtown.
“Everybody says there is nothing downtown. You’ve heard that before,” Peloza said. “Now they’re going to say, ‘Hey, there is something downtown on Sunday.’
“I can’t express in words the gratitude that I feel inside,” Peloza added. “Downtown needed a shot in the arm, and this is truly a shot in the arm. And this is just the beginning. We’re going to grow.”
City officials said approximately 2,250 attended last Sunday. Gross sales were about $12,000 for vendors.
Several vendors sold out of their product in 2½ hours into the four-hour market day.
“The Soroptimists gave away their 500 bags quickly,” Peloza said.
And with 45 booths to choose from, shoppers had plenty to fill their bags with, including Yakima cherries, several flavors of gourmet pasta from Market Pasta and local produce from Spooner Farms, Lee’s Produce and Mosby Brothers Farm.
“It’s all local farmers, so you can help support them,” David Alexander said. Alexander, who brought his 3-year-old son Matthew out to enjoy the crowd, said he was pleased with the quality of the produce.
“It’s all better than the product they have in the grocery stores,” he said.
Auburn’s Stephany Langston took a break so that her 6-year-old daughter, Norah, could take advantage of the free face painting provided by the Auburn Youth Council. For Langston, it was all about the community spirit fostered by the market.
“I love it,” she said. “It’s about darn time. You have to create a sense of community some way. And this is a good way to do it.”
For Peloza, the opening marks the beginning of a revitalization of downtown Auburn.
“We’ve had so much disappointment with development not working out,” he said. “The citizens of Auburn have been frustrated with the lack of activity in downtown Auburn. This is the start of a new era of downtown revitalization. Couple with the new city annex building, and hopefully next year with the development of the four-block area. I think it’s payback time for citizens.”
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Let the season begin
Each Sunday, the Auburn International Farmers Market will feature approximately 40 vendors selling seasonal produce, cut flowers and crafts along with a variety of cooking demonstrations, children’s activities, educational workshops and entertainment. The market will run on consecutive Sundays at the Auburn Transit Center Plaza, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. through Sept. 27. Parking for the market is free at the adjacent transit center parking lot. For more details, please visit www.auburnfarmersmarket.org.
