Farmers’ markets: do you go for veggies or vibe?

Before I even begin here, let me say one thing:

I love the Spokane Farmers’ Market .

There’s a great spirit in that humble parking lot at Second Avenue and Washington Street, and I can’t wait for the season to start again.

I thought, though, that readers might be interested in taking a peek at another farmer’s market in Washington … the Bellingham Farmers’ Market.

I’m in Belly Wash on vacation now (it’s my hometown) and I wouldn’t dream of being here without a visit to the Farmers’ Market.

It’s held in a part of town that was pretty scary when I was a kid. Today, that once-shadowy stretch is one of those urban success stories you read about in Sunset magazine. The farmers’ market is surrounded by a brew pub, a hand-tossed pizza joint and an ice cream shop, not to mention a burrito place, a music store, an upscale home-and-garden shop, etc., that are all within walking distance.

And the farmers’ market itself is pretty impressive. One portion is in the open air—a perfect place to shop on a sunny day like today. The other half is under an attractive permanent structure that looks somewhat like a pavillion—perfect on those rainy days that Bellingham is known to have now and then.

And as you can see in the photo slideshow above, the offerings today were as varied and plentiful as I would expect to see in July—a wide variety of veggies, delicious pastries from several different bakeries, some extremely talented street musicians, gorgeous flowers, and crafts, including some adorable hats and softies by a business called Moth and Squirrel .

Back in Spokane, there’s always talk about moving the Lilac City’s farmers’ market to a more pedestrian-friendly and … um … more attractive location. While that would be lovely, vendors there have told me that they’ve seen the turnout grow at Second and Washington year after year, so they’re wary of just packing up and relocating. Things are always more complicated than they seem, huh?

I’m optimistic about what’s happening on Main Avenue, on downtown Spokane’s east end, where the new food co-op Main Market is expected to open later this year. The old Goodyear building that’s being converted there has great potential, and that block is already a fun place to visit on a warm day. You can read learn more about the Main Market by reading a story by Down to Earth writer Bart Milhailovich here .

And there are many other farmers’ markets in the Inland Northwest. Liberty Lake ‘s is very nice. The one in the South Perry District is small but fun. I haven’t been to the market in Millwood yet, but I’m sure it’s nice. And if Coeur d’Alene’s is anything like its indoor winter market , the Kootenai County market is probably pretty great, too.

What are your thoughts on Spokane’s farmers’ markets? Do you have market envy for one in another city? Or are you just tickled to get fresh, local goods and like the Spokane markets the way they are?