SEQUIM — It has been the town’s central farm and craft market and downtown community gathering place for 15 years.
And as the Sequim Open Aire Market heads into its 16th season Saturday with new vendors and music, its manager hopes for better weather this year to draw more market-goers than ever.
The market on Sequim’s West Cedar Street, between Second and Sequim avenues, will run from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., with live music from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Sequim Mayor Ken Hays will officially open the market at 9 a.m. with a festive bell-ringing ceremony.
As in past years, the market will have about 60 vendors selling arts, crafts, fresh organic produce and specialty foods.
“Let’s get out there and keep our local market strong,” Lisa Bridge said.
Sales down last year
“It was kind of bad news for us last year,” she added. “Sales were down.
“We felt like the wet weather that continued almost to Lavender Weekend had a tremendous impact.”
The 15th season was greatly hampered by cooler, wetter weather, even during the Sequim Lavender Festival in mid-July — weather that pushed the Dungeness Valley’s lavender crop back by about three weeks.
Open Aire Market sales totaled $178,250 last year, a dramatic drop from 2010, when overall sales climbed by 10 percent to $252,200.
The market has seen a growth spurt since the 2006 season, which ended with sales totaling of $174,000.
Only the 2009 season saw a decline to $233,000.
The market tried a Wednesday market last season in an attempt to boost sales, Bridge said, but it was not successful and was discontinued after three weeks.
Discovery Memory Care in Sequim and Sequim Lavender Growers Association are new market sponsors, joining sponsors that include Hanna Construction, Brokers Group Real Estate Professionals, the law firm of Bell & Davis and Mountain Propane.
Collectively, the sponsors contribute $5,000 to the market.
New vendors
New vendors will include Sequim Red Rooster Grocery, a soup and salad food booth, and Burkhardt Herb Garden, which will sell vegetable plant start, produce and herbs grown at its greenhouse and garden at Old Olympic Highway and Kitchen-Dick Road.
New also will be Jill Levatai, whose business is called New Social Club, and Sequim artist Jean Wyatt, who makes brightly colored floor mats.
Another new feature: open microphone live music coordinated by Dungeness Valley musician Cort Armstrong that Bridge said will be like a jam session.
Also, A-frame signs and new red and yellow flags have been purchased to dress up the marketplace.
“So it will be kind of a new splash of color” along Cedar Street, Bridge said.
Five farms will sell produce and flowers at this year’s market.
The market will close Dec. 10.
For more information, visit www.SequimMarket.com, phone Bridge at 360-460-2668 or email manager@sequimmarket.com.
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Sequim-Dungeness Valley Editor Jeff Chew can be reached at 360-681-2390 or at jeff.chew@peninsuladailynews.com.
