YAKIMA, Wash. – The Yakima Downtown Farmers Market held its final event of the year, wrapping up a season that began on Mother’s Day and concluded in mid-October. The market has been a cherished Sunday staple for the community, drawing families together for fresh produce and local goods.
Each Sunday for the past seven years, approximately 1,400 people have gathered at the Yakima Rotary for the market. The event featured everything from fresh produce and artisanal products to lively entertainment, making it a popular destination.
The market offered a wide variety of choices for shoppers. “You’re going to have plenty of choices of fresh produce. We have mushrooms. We have cheese. We have jewelry. We have fresh fish this year, which is very exciting. We have milk. So, you can pretty much do all of your shopping in one stop, as well as bring the family and, and have a good time,” said Heidi Washam, the Farmer’s Market Director.
Washam transitioned from a long-time shopper to the market’s director in June, shared her experiences. “I’m used to chaos. But I wasn’t prepared for how hard it would be. There was a lot to learn, and a lot of that is, you know, just things like the vendors need to have, you know, tent weights on their tents. They need to have scales that are registered and endorsed. But it’s been wonderful. We have a core group of volunteers that has been with us for years, and they really know how to run this market,” said Washam.
Washam attributed the market’s success to the dedication of the vendors.
“These vendors are the hardest working people that I have met. It takes a lot to farm…They’re packing everything up. They’re bringing it in. A lot of times they’re getting up at like 2 or 3:00 in the morning to pick things fresh, get them to market on time. So just having those conversations with the people that are growing your food and learning what they’re putting in or what they’re excited about growing, I think that’s a really important connection to have with the food, that we’re eating,” she said.
Looking ahead, Washam mentioned the possibility of expanding the market into the parking lot to accommodate more vendors next year. This potential growth reflects the market’s success and its importance to the Yakima community.
