Come celebrate the Bellingham Farmers Market’s 30th birthday– but instead of cake and balloons, the market’s organizers want to share new events and its history with the community.
The first Saturdays of August and November will feature Fill Your Pantry days to inform customers about what’s in season and encourage them to stock up, whether it’s strawberries to make jam or hardy winter squash for the cold months.
And on Wednesdays at the Waterfront, kiddos can join activities to learn about gardening and healthy eating. Each week they’ll earn a stamp to fill their Kids Club Passport for potential prizes and Kid Coins to either save up, pool with siblings or friends, or spend right away on fruits and vegetables. The Wednesday markets, unlike Saturdays, also allow well-behaved dogs to browse with their families.
While the official organization was formed in 1992, its history with Bellingham grows even deeper, originally sprouting from pop-up markets by grassroots citizens in the ‘80s and earlier.
“I think it’s very humbling to see how that hard work has paid off to really create this vibrant organization that is sustainable,” says Market Director Lora Liegel. Liegel created a special anniversary page on the market’s website – an archive to document its history.
“We have some vendors that have been with us for 25-30 years, so it’s kind of fun to see their pictures and just remember those times,” Liegel says.
The market accepts FMNP and SNAP EBT cards with a program to match what is spent on fresh produce.
For more information, visit bellinghamfarmers.org.
