The Vashon Farmers Market is looking ahead to autumn and its season of festivals, after a summer that saw fewer customers but better sales than last year.
“The vendors have been doing well,” said Caleb Johns, the farmers market manager. “Attendance was down slightly this summer but still close to last year’s numbers, and sales have actually been higher.”
Johns noted that new vendors such as May Kitchen and Glass Half Full — which offers upcycled art for the home and garden — have helped add to the market’s overall success, as has the Wednesday market farm stand.
“The mid-week market table sales have increased each week,” Johns said. “It has regulars already, and some customers who will only come on Wednesday.”
The board of the Vashon Island Growers Association (VIGA) will decide whether or not the mid-week mini-market will be offered again next year, Johns explained.
“In the off-season, we’ll look at how to offer an even better selection, if we decide to continue it,”he said.
Another key to the market’s successful summer, according to Johns, was the market’s summer intern, Rosie Avolio-Toly.
“Rosie has been amazing,” Johns said. “She made an impact with the board and was a real presence at the market. … She stepped in and really went above and beyond.”
Moving forward, the market will soon host its annual fall festivals, with the Harvest Festival this Saturday and Ciderfest on Oct. 11.
The festivities this weekend will include a visit from author and artist Nikki McClure, who will read from her children’s books; a vegetable peep-show; a jam contest sponsored by the Heritage Museum; special kids’ market bucks for specially priced items, and live music from Manigua, a Seattle-based Latin fusion band sponsored by Patty’s Tamales.
Johns said that there will be an an indoor holiday market again this season, but the location for it has yet to be finalized. Last year the market was in a vacant storefront at the IGA Plaza.
“We’d love to be in the space we had last year, but it all depends on when Granny’s Attic decides to move, since that is going to be their new space,” he said. “We do have some other options if we can’t be there.”
