Queen Anne Market Rebirth

Last weekend at the Ballard Farmers Market I got a note from the management saying that this summer they would not be holding the Queen Anne Farmers' Market, which they've run for the past two summers. The note mentioned difficulties choosing a site, since the schoolyard where the market had been held was not currently available, and it also said that sales at the market had been down considerably this past year.

I've never known a market administration to cancel a market before. They tend to take the wise position that building a clientele takes time and tinkering. I'd also heard through the grapevine that there had been some tension between the market organization and the Queen Anne Neighbors for Responsible Growth, the group that had originally decided to bring a farmers' market to the neighborhood. I had a feeling there was more to the story, and that just because this particular market organization wouldn't be running the event, that didn't mean the market was going to be cancelled.

Sure enough, I got a call during the week from someone at the neighborhood organization, and there probably will be a farmers' market on Queen Anne this summer, though the location was still uncertain at the time I got the call. I'm looking forward to seeing how this unfolds: it seems like a unique opportunity to create an event tailored to the needs of a lovely neighborhood where folks really care about their food.