Saturday Market Moments

Holiday, Holiday, Holiday Market

2011-12-16T17:30:00.000-08:00

At last, a moment to get back to the blog! Behind every hour of fun at Holiday Market, there are several hours of work by everyone involved, both Market staff and Market artisans. That's over 300 people working all week long to bring our sweet and lively Marketplace into being every weekend. Somehow this season, blogging hasn't squeezed into any of those hours. Toward the end of the Market run, we get caught up and have a bit of time, and I hate to neglect any of my Market story telling opportunities... so here's an abbreviated glance at the Market season so far.

There have been choirs

and handcrafts,

sock monkeys

and steam punks,

leopards

and even a Kitty (giving an award for microenterprise development to Market Manager Beth),

and the general swirl and whirl of commerce occurring in the most essential fashion. Folks spending their money for beautiful things, valuing the labor of their friends, neighbors and community members by keeping our money in our own city. The Market has been busy and happy so far this season, and as we head toward the holidays it will only be moreso. We head into our last five Market days with plenty of holiday cheer to share. We'll be open Saturday and Sunday this weekend from 10-6, and then next Thursday and Friday 10-6 and Saturday, Christmas eve, 10-4. If you'd like to find out more about who is selling, or who is playing on the stage, or get some gift ideas, head over to holidaymarket.org and then head to the Fairgrounds at 12th & Jefferson and be a part of a wonderful tradition!

Here's a slide show of pics from this year's Market so far:

Several Saturday Markets Later: More Than A Little Catching Up!

2011-11-09T17:40:00.000-08:00

October was gorgeous this year, wasn't it? We were blessed with sunny Saturdays and plenty of activity. So much so that keeping up on the blog inched off the bottom of my ever-blossoming to do list. It happens like that this time of year, as Saturday Market and the impending Holiday Market both need time and attention. This afternoon I find my self with a smidgen of time to get caught up, and look back at a few highlights of the last month.

Way back on the 8th, we all loved The Dick Danger Band

and Satori Bob was great too. (This is not Bob, this is John the guitar player. Satori Bob is the band)

Then on the 15th we found ourselves at the heart of the Occupy Eugene movement, as a couple thousand folks took a long walk through town and ended up spending a week camping at the Park Blocks.

I took a break, and missed the 22nd. I was in Minneapolis, riding around on these cool public shared bikes. That is one big bike loving town!

We celebrated the season on the 29th with crazy costumes,

and over 5,000 pumpkins in Kesey Plaza!

Then, suddenly, November...

But Marketeers and Market-goers came out and shopped, ate, danced, visited, laughed, and generally made a Market day out of what could have been just a cold, dreary one. And anybody that got to enjoy the music of Janet, Taj, Richie G, Ma Beat, Lauren, Savanna, Felix, Brandelyn, and the rest of Blue Lotus, was lucky indeed. These musicians (and Magic Levin too) played just like it was a gorgeous, sunny, jam packed day.

One more to go, friends and neighbors, and then we'll tuck this season in at the end of Saturday and spring up warm, dry, and ready to go at the Fairgrounds on the 19th for Holiday Market. Do stop by if you can, there's something special about the Last Market of the Year.

Saturday Markets #26 & 27: Saturday Market is People

2011-10-06T17:22:00.000-07:00

I've been working on collecting photos for this year's Holiday Market poster for the past couple of weeks. This means I've been making a more concerted effort to get out and about and visit with the craftspeople of Saturday Market. Every one of them is innovative, talented, motivated, creative and (lucky for me) photogenic! I do my behind-the-scenes part every week to help keep the Market going, but I want you to meet a few of the people that really make it happen! Without the dedication of all the Saturday Marketeers, we'd have no unique, groovy, vibrant, forty-two-years-running celebration of all that is Eugene.

This is Kendra Brock. She up-cycles t-shirts into cool, clever dresses, among other things.

Cathy Coulson-Keegan is a self-proclaimed Very Old Hippie who creates beautiful Asian influenced banners and lanterns. You can read more about her on our current Beautiful Booth of the Month page.

Catherine Imo uses fabrics to create collages that look more like paintings than collages.

Donna Crisp makes candles, including these classic old school style sand candles. Just like we used to make in the 70s, only much better.

Amy Palatnick (a.k.a. Amy the Potter) is a potter with a distinctive style. She makes all the kinds of dishes you need, and they are gorgeous.

Katharine Emlen is a nature photographer who specializes in macro (super close up) photograpy, so you can discover things you might have missed in the world around you. She also makes cool inspirational word magnets.

Jimmy Manigrossi is the pet tag man. His daughter Sierra Nunley-Gross is a life long Marketeer, who sells her mom's Holy Donuts at Market.

Pamela Pollock makes jewelry that I really want to own. It's big and dramatic but delicate and very, very up-to-date.

Amy Clancy's clothing and jewelry is entirely different than Pamela's and yet I want to own everything in her booth as well. She's got style!

Chris Clayworth does amazing things with polymer clay. His chromatic, dramatic work is a treat to look at.

Rae Kelley's incredibly adorable appliqued and embroidered baby clothes make me wish I had some little kids around to buy clothes for.

Amethyst, Jessica & Dotti have been my Market next-door neighbors for all of my twenty Market managing years, and tie-dyers for much longer than that. It takes special folks to be the gracious, tolerant neighbors of the busy, wacky Market stage.

So there they are, just a few of the very important people who ARE Saturday Market. Come on down and get to know them, every one of them has great tales to tell, and wonderful things to buy! See you Saturday...

Saturday Market #25: My September Wish List

2011-09-22T16:23:00.000-07:00

Dear Universe,

I want this summer to last longer. I want to sing and dance and play carefree like the kids do when Rich Glauber gets them going.

I need more giant sunflowers to greet me as I contemplate my lunch choices.

I need a couple more nice Saturdays with plenty of time to spend chatting with Mary Lou Goertzen about her drawings and her life.

I'd really like to listen to another set from Jerry Zybach and Al Rivers.

Some more leisurely time to search for treasures amongst the booths on the west edge of the Market would be great, these little duckie finger puppets at Ingeborg Krebs' booth stole my heart,

and David Hansen's wooden wrist watches are so clever.

So if a wish granting sprite could just pop through the magic door at William Fleming's booth and grant my wishes, that would be greatly appreciated!

Oh, and just one more little wish... turn those orange harbingers of fall back to green and give me just a couple helpings of Summer.

Thanks and love,
Everybody at Saturday Market

Saturday Market #24: We've Got Good Bones

2011-09-15T14:28:00.000-07:00

We've arrived at the season of sweet Saturdays filled with the slanty warm light of the late summer sun. It's also the season when we're cruising along without a whole lot of extra news or excitement to blog about. That means I'm going to really have to stretch to connect the dots and make a blog post. But I can do it! You see, I've had these photos I found in the basement sitting next to my desk for a few weeks, pictures from the very early days of Market. I've been meaning to get them into some digital form and post them. I've done that and now... to make a connection between last Saturday and the First Saturday.

Here are skeletons basking in that golden afternoon glow at Daniel Conan Young's booth at the corner of 8th & Oak last Saturday.

Here is Gil Dunaway, selling candles under an umbrella in the alley between what is now the Downtown Athletic Club and the Overpark, at the first Saturday Market on May 9, 1970.

What is the connection? Bones. Saturday Market has a good, strong set of bones inside it, built up by people like Gil, who still sells candles on Saturdays, rain or shine. Here are a few fun archival shots from our formative years.

Here's another photo from that first season, you can see the Overpark clearly on the left. At the time, there were restaurants and other businesses tucked in under the parking structure, so you can see how business folks might have been upset about all these "hippies" cluttering up the sidewalk.

In 1971 the Market spent the summer season selling on the plaza in front of the County Courthouse. I can barely remember when the courthouse had those space age curvy beams along the front of Harris Hall. They were remodeled away long ago.

Market's founder Lotte Streisinger did a lot to get a Farmers' Market going. They were part of the Market until the mid-80s when they became a separate organization. This photo is from 1978 or so, when the Market was on the "Butterfly" parking lot across the street from the Park Blocks.

Here's a view of the food court at that time, it was located at the north end of the parking lot. I think it's funny that except for the stylish plaid suit jacket in the corner, you couldn't really date the photo from what people are wearing. It could be last week. But the cookies and brownies at Loven Oven (the calzoni booth) were 50¢...

And here's David the Minstrel. I remember he used to sing a song with the chorus "don't shave your legs, don't wear deodorant..." David was still singing at Market a few years back before he moved away.

The crafters, the food booth folks, the musicians and the timelessly clad customers are the strong bones of our sweet Market, eternal thanks for your support! See you Saturday...

Saturday Market #22 & #23: In Search of Beauty & Newth

2011-09-09T16:30:00.000-07:00

Although I spend a fair amount of my day at the stage, I do make an effort to get out and about and see what folks are making and selling. At the end of the month, I take a tour looking especially for the new goodies to post on the New Products Page on the Market's website, and someone to profile for the Beautiful Booth of the Month page.

Even after twenty years, I'm still just so impressed by what people make! I never have trouble finding lots of interesting, beautiful products to highlight.

Paula Free makes intricate, playful pendants from polymer clay and lots of other little things.

Carol Jeffries has at least 25 different skull prints on her rack of "doo rags".

Lucas Hough makes unique ceramic/glass wine glasses.

Claire Ernstsen hand draws designs on translucent shrinky plastic and makes earrings.

Courtney Fellet takes chain mail to another level with all kinds of delicate designs.

Julia Garretson uses her unique handmade papers to cover lightswitch covers.

Cliff Martin uses all sorts of discarded stuff to make fun mobiles.

Angela McDonald blends teas, and makes handmade tea bags.

Ben Silver's glass floats add a lot of color to the fountain.

Randall Beiderwell makes Oregon landscapes extra vibrant through HDR photo processing.

David Brady has crafted these beautiful wooden puzzle boxes to look like books.

Tarra Hartlauer's booth full of upcycled denim skirts and garden signs was my choice for Beautiful Booth of the Month.

That was all from two weeks back. I kept right on finding stuff worth highlighting last week too!

Like Mary Flowerday's clever take on the current feather earring craze - she's made feathers out of fabric.

I find Bob Walters' suspended rock book ends really fascinating and appealing.

And I loved learning that one of these ceramic magnets at Elise Corin's booth was made with the impression of a leaf from the tree above her booth. It's the one just to the left of the flower.

Now it's your turn, come on down and seek out the newth and beauty that abounds every Saturday! See you there...

Saturday Markets #20 & #21: Sweet Summer Saturdays

2011-08-26T15:48:00.000-07:00

These August Saturdays are precious. No matter how foul the long spring is, by August it's sweet sunny summertime. The Saturdays roll by in a succession of all the Usual Things that make up a Market day.

Old friends come to visit from far away - in this case, Ritta's former employees Daphne and Ellie who stopped in to roll burritos for old time's sake.

The giggling of delighted children fills the air - especially when Magic Levin takes to the stage.

Dancing! There's always dancing going on.

Dru at Bangkok Grill shares his latest fashion statement - this time a tiny top hat made from recycled innertubes by Tyler Dones.

Someone shares their quirky sense of humor.

The sound of music fills the air - on this occasion from the hands of Richard Crandell on the mbira.

The kids from Music's Edge Rock Camp roll through with their week-old bands (this one's "No Stairway")…

their enthusiastic coaches (Zack Johnson)…

and their avalanche of gear.

Stephanie's eye-boggling flowers add pizzaz to the food court.

I get frequent new back stage neighbors - Linda Kelley and her jewelry last Saturday.

And warm late afternoons in August are perfect for sitting for a spell with your girls as the Market winds down - That's Rosemary and her daughters.

This week we look forward to the fun of being part of the Eugene Celebration, the perfect way to wrap up another August on the Park Blocks. See you there!

Saturday Market #19: The Deal With The 5¢ Deal

2011-08-18T15:11:00.000-07:00

Sorry for the delay on this post, I know you've all been anxiously anticipating the answers to my burning questions! This post required a bit of research, calling out to the Internets for an archival photo, and was interrupted by SLUG Queens. But all that's over now and we can proceed...

As you will recall, in my last post I was puzzling over the coincidence and feasibility of 5¢ Architecture and 5¢ Web Design from these gentlemen:

On Saturday afternoon I set out from my home base next to the stage for the far side of the West Park Block to get some answers. The booths weren't next to each other this time, but they were both there, ready to give answers. Since I wasn't actually asking about architecture or web design, I got those answers for free!

First I asked "How does 5¢ Architecture work??" The nice gentleman in the booth, who is actually Will Dixon's co-worker Travis, explained that the booth is there to empower people to engage with architecture and make it work for them. You can ask a question about a remodeling job, about how to go about starting a project, or anything architecture related. Obviously, you're not going to get plans drawn up for 5¢, but you can approach with a problem or question and get advice on how to move towards a solution. Of course the 5¢ Architects will be happy to enter a client relationship with you, if you so desire.

I also found out where the idea came from. We all remember Lucy's "Psychiatric Help 5¢" stand from the Peanuts cartoon. There was even a "Lucy Booth" at Saturday Market for many years, run by a local mental health group. This is where the archival photo comes in, it was taken by Michael Connelly and is actually from the Oregon Country Fair version of the booth in 1986.

Inspired by the same cartoon, an architect in Seattle, John Morefield, set up an "Architecture 5¢" booth at the Ballard Farmers Market back in 2009. His idea spread through the American Institute of Architects, and locally Willard Dixon decided to start dispensing 5¢ advice at our Market last year.You can find an NPR story about John Morefield's original booth here, or check out architecture5cents.com to learn more.

Meanwhile, way off in Austin, Texas, Will Alkin's wife heard that same NPR story and told her web designer husband about it. He decided to try the idea with Web Design in Austin last February, setting up at the Barton Creek Farmers Market. The venture was successful. When he and his wife decided to move to Eugene, Will looked forward to seeing if he would be able to set up at our Market. As he was exploring that option, Market Manager Beth told him about the Architecture 5¢ booth, already part of the Market scene. So, on the morning of July 30, Will showed up to sell for his first time, and just chose a space he thought would be good. Will and Travis showed up with Architecture 5¢ in the next space. It was cosmic coincidence indeed! You can stop by Will's booth for some 5¢ web design advice, or have a look at webdesign5cents.com.

So now you know you can still get something valuable for 5¢, come and get it!

Saturday Market #18: Three Questions

2011-08-05T18:09:00.000-07:00

I have questions about things I saw on Saturday. Lingering questions that I hope to get a chance to ask this week. This is what happens when I run around at the far side of the Market at the end of a Market day grabbing photos and not having time to chat.

Question 1: What's Kathleen Dusing's story? She makes these braille bracelets, and I presume she's blind because I heard that she has a dog companion. But I want to know more, it's a really cool idea!

Question 2: Where did Matt Hawk suddenly come from? How did he learn to draw like this? I do know that he juggles too, I bet he's got a good story to tell.

Question 3: How on earth does 5¢ architecture and 5¢ web design work? Did Willard Dixon and Will Alkin know each other before Saturday Market, or is this some amazing cosmic sidewalk coincidence?

I'll let you know what I find out! And in the meantime, go ask them your own questions...

Saturday Market #17: Now THAT Was A Day

2011-07-28T16:39:00.000-07:00

Now that was a great day for a Market!

It was a great day to show a little girl how a metal tube makes a slide guitar sound like it does...

It was a great day for playing barefoot, especially when your band's name is Barefoot Leroy...

It was the perfect day to catch a glimpse of the Dalai Lama keeping a happy eye out...

It was a wonderful day for Krishna to sit in with Gypsy Moon...

It was a day for flowers to glow in the sunlight...

It was a day for dancing to entrancing mediterranean music from Gypsy Moon...

And for swirly twirly hippie dancing to Grateful Dead tunes from Cap'n Trips...

And a perfect day to be in the band...

And a most delightfully perfect day to pay attention to the sweet little details and let the Market be a beautiful, colorful blur of a setting for a great day.

Saturday Market #16: Happy Together

2011-07-21T13:42:00.000-07:00

As I walked onto the Park Blocks on Saturday, less than thrilled at the soggy greyness of the day, I was greeted by the uplifting tones of Paul Naylor and his magic voice machine that allows him to sing three part harmony with himself. He was singing that sweet old Turtles hit "Happy Together."

How did he know? That was the exactly perfect song I needed to hear. I think we can chalk it up to Market Magic. It really adjusted my attitude to appreciative for the rest of the day, happy to be out together with my Market friends and neighbors, making our weekly Market to share with everyone in town.

I had just walked in past Kendra Brock, Sally Pravel and Sarah Sabri, who were all cozied up, three booths sharing a common covering, and I had been thinking how cool it is that Marketeers work together to make the best of every Market day. A little weather based adversity usually helps us appreciate each other all the more.

Pamela Pollock, Alicia Ghio and Patrick Jovin took a similar approach, and they made a really nice, airy group of booths that all looked really nice together.

Even the strolling vendors were happy to take part, even if it meant holding up a giant umbrella, like Angela Ketel,

or sporting slick cowboy boot style galoshes, like Shamora Merritt.

Thank goodness Eugene is a rain or shine kind of place, where eating a good lunch at Market is way more important than avoiding those inconvenient rain drops.

A generous helping of happy zydeco music at the end of the day from Brian Chevalier & Heavy Chevy helped wrap up my day on a joyful note. Still happy, and definitely looking forward to next Saturday.

And imaging how much more appreciative I'll be of a sunny one! Bring it on!

Saturday Market #15: Our Fair Share

2011-07-15T15:36:00.000-07:00

When there are only seven days in a week, and only thirty three Saturday Markets in a year, it's inevitable that sometimes we have to share our special day with other events. One of our favorites to share with is the Oregon Country Fair. In this amazing and abundant place there are plenty of talented craftspeople, musicians, chefs and happy Marketgoers to populate the Park Blocks and the Veneta woods! I'm pretty sure no other similarly sized place in the U.S. could pull it off...

There was a hearty crowd in the Food Court at lunchtime.

A big passel of kids were there to play along with Joe Ross.

Jaw Knee Now and Marquee were stylish in their red western shirts.

Irish Creme came all the way from Roseburg to treat us to some Irish dance music.

There was still plenty of tie dye on the Park Blocks, Maggie Duncan saw to that!

And there were even some colorful characters around to dance...

to a swinging, soulful set from To theBridge.

All in all, another fun Saturday. What will this one bring? We'll find out tomorrow!

Saturday Market #14: The REAL Opening Day!

2011-07-07T16:19:00.000-07:00

It had to happen eventually, the mythical Real Opening Day. I'm proclaiming that last Saturday it arrived at long last. Opening Day is always the first Saturday in April. The REAL Opening Day is the Saturday when it is gorgeous and sunny all day long, everybody is in a great mood, and there is a certain excited buzz around the Market, a high energy happiness that infuses everyone with Market joy. The place is crowded, and I don't recognize most of the visitors. Booths are full of folks considering and making purchases. The Food Court is full. The stage is busy. People dance to all the music all day long.

And generally, I am stuck at the stage all day, so most of my photos are musician-centric. But what a great place to get stuck!

I knew it was going to be a great day when Robert Meade turned up all dapper in a suit and fedora at 10 AM and sang a sweet cover of "Sugar Mountain" among other songs.

The Traceys always give me good goosebumps with their harmonies, and Steven has such a great time playing with them.

Jun is an amazing young guitar player, and his Land of the Rising Sun group was a real crowd pleaser.

I worked in an extra treat, with Whistling Diva Carol Ann Kaufman and Mitch Hider, both champion whistlers, whistling all kinds of fun tunes. This included the most unusual cover of "Summertime" so far this season, played on puckered lips and ukulele. (Summertime is the most covered song at Market by far, as many as three times a day)

Soulicous wrapped up the day with a great set of soulful faves. The band has as much fun as the audience, and many calories were danced off by the enthusiastic crowd.

Double the saxes, double the fun...

Really, the Real Opening Day is just a normally awesome Market day, just more awesome than usual, and it sets the tone for the next bunch of Markets. By that standard, we're in for a fun summer! See you there...

Saturday Market #13: Lucky 13 Brings Us Sun At Last

2011-06-30T15:16:00.000-07:00

The sky was blue on Saturday morning as we set up the Market. It continued to be blue all day long, and featured a big glowing orb that sent warm rays down upon us. This was a new experience for us this season, and it was FUN!

We'd like it to happen again, dear Mother Nature if you're reading this, because this is what happens when it's sunny:

Lots of little kids play and run around during the 11:00 kid music time.

Dappled sunlight falls on cool new products like this folding mancala game at Chason McClelland's booth, and makes it look even cooler.

Lara Howe can see better to do hairwraps, and is unencumbered by layers of sweaters and coats.

Little lens flares jump into my photos, like little light fairies on these adorable fairy winged onesies at Rene Berry's booth.

Folks get to sit in the shade on the East Lawn and eat their lunch and hang out and visit.

Glass products, like this tile by Susan Hobbs, look all glowy and beautiful.

Happy mamas tickle bare baby bellies - that's Taryn, Jeff and Bracken Wilson.

That Family Homesteader Strawberry Lemonade really hits the spot.

And reggae music just sounds so perfect in the sweet sunshine. That's Ras Gabriel & 4Word.

All the weather folk seem to agree that we are about to be blessed with another one, so get ready to discover many ways to have fun in the sun at Saturday Market! See you there...

Saturday Market #12: The Best Magic Of All

2011-06-23T15:58:00.000-07:00

If ever there was a day in need of magic, it was last Saturday. It was grey, chill and rainy once again.

Magically, I had scheduled Magic Levin to bring some magic to the Park Blocks! Also magically, every week at 11 AM the audience goes from maybe one or two random kids to lots of them, even on a grey rainy day.

Magic Levin brought all kinds of magic with him, and of course had the kids help him out. There was a rope trick that was...

astonishing,

fascinating,

and fun.

There was a surprising rabbit trick,

and he even made a little boy's head disappear!

But only temporarily...

But the biggest magic of all, the magic we needed the most, was the sunny sound of a whole bunch of little kids giggling, squealing and even shrieking with uproarious laughter.

Now that's magic! Thanks Magic Levin!

Saturday Market #11: Graduation Day

2011-06-16T15:16:00.000-07:00

I arrived Saturday morning to find the Dana's Cheesecake festooned with a string of tiny mortarboards and diplomas - you see, food booths get crafty too! Colleen and Ritta had created this garland to celebrate the graduation of Nickie from the U of O. Nickie has worked at Dana's for approximately ever, and in our Food Court, booth workers are much more like family members than employees, so family style celebrations were in order.

Over the years, Nickie has made several appearances in the Flickr stream, due to her ability to craft costumes spontaneously from supplies available at the Cheesecake booth, and her eagerness to play along during our various dress up days and holidays. Here she is as Rosie the Riveter on Halloween, in a cardboard tiara at Holiday Market, and in her Royal Wedding Fascinator from earlier this year.



Congratulations! I know your creativity and fashion sense will get you far, especially when added to your academic achievements.

Also graduating, in a sense, on Saturday, was my beloved Market neighbor Ayala Talpai. She came to spend a day at Market bidding us a fare-thee-well, as she is moving somewhat southwards to be closer to her many sons after the recent passing of her husband. She will also be spreading her magical fiber creations throughout northern California where they are in desperate need of curly tuques, fairy dresses and felted critters of all kinds. She took a few moments to give a sweet parting benediction, wishing us all well on our various and sundried journeys.

She has made many of my favorite pieces of clothing over the years, and Saturday I added this amazing poppy emblazoned bolero to my collection. I'll miss gazing at her booth across the stage from me, and dashing by to take some of my favorite ever Market photos. The light would fall just right there in the afternoons.





Yes, the light will continue to fall just right in that space, but I will still miss Ayala's presence.

A basket of roses for both Nickie and Ayala, and all our graduates this season. Where ever you wander, know you've always got a home on the Park Blocks with us!

Saturday Market #10: My Eye Is On The Rainbow

2011-06-09T14:02:00.000-07:00

Dan Pegoda's Something Euge! cartoon in this week's Eugene Weekly sums it all up quite exactly. A huge crowd of tiny people are attempting to pull back giant curtains of clouds to reveal the sun. "Pulling for some sun" is the caption. Saturday's forecast seemed to promise a sunny day, and so did a sunny set up and first hour. Then the clouds rolled in and though it was warm all day, everyone was pining for some rays.

It made me laugh to look at my photos from the day and realize that almost every frame I shot while roaming the Market captured a rainbow spectrum of color in it somewhere... pulling for some sun along with everybody else, apparently!

In the luminairia at Butch Falkenbach's booth,

a rainbow garden sign at Tarra Hartlauer's booth,

in the tie dyes at Maggie's Farm,

the acrylic hair sticks and chopsticks at Ed Phillips' booth,

in Cory Racine's joyfully colored walking sticks,

and even behind Ethan on stage, playing with Eagle Park Slim.

This week, along with that huge crowd of people, I'm pulling to skip right past that transitional rainbow and have a sunny Saturday. Will it happen? Only Saturday will tell... See you there!

Saturday Market #9: Fun Facts

2011-06-03T16:34:00.000-07:00

In cheerful anticipation of an actually sunny, warm Saturday, I present some fun facts gathered on what will hopefully be the last chilly grey Saturday for a long, long time.

Kids at Family School get songwriting homework from Peter Wilde. They also write really great songs about candy and chickens and friends and themselves, and get to sing Help! together. I want to go to Family School.

I figured Michely Andreotti had been making tie dyes for years and years. He has collected them for years, but he's only been making them for about one year.

Anna Lawrence has an advanced degree in Costume Design. I should have guessed that, her Haute Scrambled Aprons are really delightful.

It can still be necessary to wear coats, scarves and hand warmers while playing banjo outside in the middle of the day on Memorial Day weekend, as demonstrated by Robin from Opal Creek.

If you are a brand new, aspiring Market vendor, show up on a rainy morning when the forecast is dire and you can get a nice big 8' x 8' booth on your first try! (Believe me, this is rare...) Accomplished last week by Aiayana Katz and Shannon Sinderson. (These are Aiayana's adorable felted bags.)

A well timed Burrito Bowl can save your life. And Royce makes a really great Burrito Bowl.

Next week's report will likely be titled "The REAL Opening Day" and feature lots of sunny photos. Don't wait and read about it, come down and be a part of it!

Saturday Market #8: A Dancing Place

2011-05-26T17:02:00.000-07:00

Saturday Market is many things to many people. To many people, Saturday Market is the place to dance. People dance during every set of the day! I remember Dave Carter telling me that Saturday Market was the first place he ever saw people dancing to his cerebral folk songs. He was amazed.

This week was a very dancey day, starting with the kids from Edison dancing while singing "The Codfish Ball." A little later, Les Etoiles de Guinée most definitely danced to their Guinean drumming, and sometimes even while drumming.

The Maya Love Band's Bob Dylan's birthday tribute set got everybody dancing and singing along, and then Kef played music that's made for group dancing, from the Balkans.

That got me thinking about all the kinds of dancing that go on at the Market. Of course I have a few photos to illustrate...

Steamy dancing (to Son Melao)

Romantic dancing (to a tango by Paul & Nancy's Love Truffle)

Ecstatic twirly hippie dancing (to just about anything)

Ecstatic jumping up and down waving your arms dancing (to Soulicious)

Dancing with a fairy (a rare treat)

Old Man Dancing (to just about everything)

Dancing S.L.U.G. Queen Slugasana (taking a break from yoga)

Dancing Pig (from the Waldorf School Players)

Flash Mob Swing Dancing (surprise!)

Gogo dancing (to The Dick Danger Band)

Dancing in kilts (The Eugene Highlanders)

Dancing with swords (belly dancers - my favorite!!)

Dance on over to the Flickr stream for more dancing photos. Let them inspire you to come on down and dance! This week I'd suggest Opal Creek's 1 PM bluegrass set for ultimate danceability...

See you there!

Saturday Market #7: Reminiscing

2011-05-19T17:04:00.000-07:00

It was a grey Market day. Those seem like the best days for having leisurely chats, and so on this particular grey day I ended up chatting with Tom, bass player for the Jim Bronson Band, and the conga player whose name I have now forgotten... oops.

Anyway, midway through chatting about who knows what - possibly the weather - we all were suddenly reminiscing about our selling days on the Butterfly Parking Lot in the 70s. I had no idea either of them were Market old timers, but if you talk to anybody in Eugene long enough, they will likely have stories to tell of when they were a vendor. Tom sold felt mobiles and crib bumpers and other baby goodies that were made by his wife, at both Eugene and Portland Markets. The conga player made assorted wood items as I recall. It was fun to discover fellow old timers and remember setting up on the slanting parking lot.

That conversation reminded me that I had a bunch of photos from the archives sitting in my computer since last May's birthday celebration. So I just uploaded fifty of them for your amusement and nostalgic pleasure. Even if you were never at the Market in the 70s, it's delightful to look at the clothes and the haircuts (or non hair cuts) and the wooden Market booths.

fine example of a non haircut on Reverend Chumleigh - is he still wearing that leopard leotard?

yes, we did sell macrame plant hangers - nice ones!

Check out that fine dashiki there on the right. Actually, I have one similar to that. Honestly, I don't think we dress any differently around here than we did in 1978.

You'll also see quite a few Market folk who are still selling all the time. Like Gil Dunaway, on the left with his candles in the photo above.

Also Dana & Colleen at Dana's Cheesecake Bakery...

Michael Bertotti selling crystals...

And even me, selling clown marionettes.

I'll get around to adding more one of these days. In the meantime, go take a walk down memory lane. Please add names, memories and comments to the photos if you can.

Here it is as a slide show, you can click through to see bigger versions.

Have fun, then come make some modern day memories with us this Saturday!

Saturday Market #6: Generosity and Creativity

2011-05-13T10:21:00.000-07:00

This past Saturday was our annual Mothers' Day Giveaway. For years now in honor of Mothers' Day and the Market's Birthday, we've asked Marketeers to donate things, and then given them away. This chair brimming with cool Market stuff is just one fifth of what I gave away in the course of the day - more than seventy people won and got to pick their treat from that hour's offerings. It makes for a very blissful vibe at the stage that spills out all through the Marketplace.

A little girl picked Diane McWhorter's pink rose with the ribbon, and the astonished quizzical look on her face when I told her it was made of dried jello was priceless. People give really nice things, not just their least expensive items. Beautiful jewelry, clothing, art, all kinds of goodies. See that plant hanger with the pink flower pot? It was donated by Craig Butler and when I called Sally from Kudana's name, she practically dived to get it.

Within moments she was proudly showing me how she'd turned it into a percussion stand for the afternoon!

It's a really busy day for me, collecting and sorting out the abundance and redistributing it all day long. After Kudana started playing, I got to take a bit of a walk around the neighborhood. I must have been inspired by the vast variety of things I'd been given to give away, because when I looked at my pictures they were filled with an equally vast variety of things found within 100 ft of the stage in an eight minute time span.

Little wooden race cars at Tom Savelich's booth.

Colorful metal garden stakes at Bob Hall's.

Carol Berg-Caldwell's fanciful bird houses.

A plethora of crocheted hair flowers by Blacita Telles.

A cascade of gorgeous necklaces by Maria Moule.

Really fun dresses made from t-shirts by Kendra Brock.

This is just what got caught in my camera. Any 100 ft. span of Market has this much and more, fresh from the hands of creative and generous Marketeers.

And that blissful vibe? It's here every week whether we give stuff away or not... Come and grab some!

Saturday Market #5: Market is Made of Variety

2011-05-05T15:05:00.000-07:00

Looking through my photos from Saturday, I'm marveling at how many different little stories and events manage to gel into a Market day. I've know this for as long as I've been a Marketeer, but the variety always amazes me.

This particular day starts out with the chaotic sounds of the Willagillespie Marimba Ensemble. It takes them a little while to settle down and play together, but their teacher Molly Nord does a great job of getting them all on the same beat. Then they sound sweet and melodic.

I'm so happy that Savanna Coen has decided to have her first ever CD release party at the Market. She raised the money to fund it in the most 21st century way, online! She made her first appearance three years ago at Market, and now at twelve, she's an accomplished performer with a gorgeous voice. The crowd goes wild.

Meanwile, inspired by the Royal Wedding, Colleen at Dana's Cheesecake suggests in a most 21st century way via Facebook, that we wear our wedding hats to Market. Nicki knows how to make the most of cheesecake booth craft supplies and makes a stylish fascinator on the spot!

A customer has seen this suggestion on Facebook, crafts her own beautiful fascinator and wears it proudly to Market to join in the fun.

Then suddenly in the middle of the day there was a swing dance flash mob. I love when that happens.

Later I have a great chat with my neighbor Bob Prine, of Knucklehead Woodworks. I make his specially built booth the Beautiful Booth of the Month for May, click through and see what I found out.

Cameron Greer spends the afternoon embroidering this patch on site, much of it sitting stage side, enjoying the music of Uncle Stumbles.

At the end of the day Ritta asks me to take a picture of Royce and Ritta with a sweet charicature of Royce and Ritta by fellow Marketeer Candace Westberg.

That was just my day. Imagine, everybody on the blocks had a slightly or very different day from mine! This next one will be different again...

Come see what happens, see you there!

Saturday Market #4: Eliel's Felties

2011-04-28T17:48:00.000-07:00

This is Eliel Fionn. She's been a Market member for a few years, and I've always admired the vast crowd of felted creatures in her booth, but before Saturday I'd never stopped for a chat. You see, I was looking for someone to build the next Saturday Market print ad around. Someone I hadn't worked with before, someone with a unique product, someone just like Eliel! She kindly agreed, and I took a few photos and talked about her Felties so I'd have something to say in the ad.

Here's how it turned out.

As I was contemplating what to blog about this week it kept occurring to me that, as usual, the few words I have room for in an ad can't tell the whole story. In this case, let's start with the color! Black and white just doesn't do Eliel's work justice. That sphinx is a magnificent yellow and purple!

The penguins are all kinds of colors, and the trolls' mottled suits are great.

I tried to explain the most important part of what I discovered in that ad, but didn't quite get there. Each one does have a name, a personality and a tale to tell. What I wanted to explain is not only does each one have an individual name, but each has an individual story. Not all sphinxs are "Jeff," not all cats are "Clovis." Each one of these creations tells Eliel their story, and she types them up into their tag. Eliel says she gets to know each creature through the process of their creation, and likes to write the stories late at night when her mind is free to wander.

I'm sure there's even more to the story of Eliel and her Felties, but I had to scurry off...

You can find out more yourself by visiting her booth, #147, on the Fountain block up under the concrete cover on the west side, or check out her website, elielfionn.com.

Saturday Market #3: Mug Shots

2011-04-21T14:32:00.000-07:00

I bet you thought I was going to complain about last Saturday's never ending rain. Nope, I already did that - that's what Twitter is for! I'm also not going to write about the awesome variety of umbrellas I saw, you can see them on the Flickr stream.

I decided on Saturday that it would take a quest of some sort to pry me from my relatively dry spot next to the stage. Since I'd forgotten my soulless metal thermal tea mug, I thought a mug shopping trip would be just the thing! Of course I shopped with camera in hand and clicked as I searched. On a day when not a whole lot was happening, my silly "I'm taking mug shots" pronouncement got a lot of laughs.

I started at Dona Rennick's booth. Dona said she does like to rant a bit on her mugs - you can't quite read it, but the mug on the far right says "The Warlords of Wall Street" in big blue letters...

Bill Delffs had some new shapes and glazes.

Bob Haley lined up Papa, Mama and Baby bear sized mugs - something for everyone! There was also a Jack in the Beanstalk's Giant sized mug...

I always love Frank Gosar's animal portrait mugs, and what's not to love about a moose-handled mug?

It's hard to tell in this shot, but all those black mugs are raven shaped! They are at Ziggy Blum's booth along with owls, skull & crossbones and greenman mugs.

I could sip tea at my desk and still see the forest with one of Annie Heron's mugs.

Karen Washburn's "mug" mugs could help with a contemplative tea drinking mood.

Dan Minard's textural mugs feel good in the hand.

So many subtle variations on the mug theme at Jon King's booth,

and Laura Jackson's as well.

Somehow I missed a pic of Amy Palatnick's mugs, but I do already have one of those on my desk and I was not about to scare away the customers that were considering the choices!

Before I could even finish my considerations, Bob Haley saved me the agony of making the impossible choice... I thanked him heartily for the gift and headed straight for Dana's Cheesecake to get it filled with life saving hot chocolate. I'll be bringing it back for more of the same this week!

See you Saturday!

Saturday Market #2: Refinding My Pace

2011-04-15T17:55:00.000-07:00

First off, I want to point you at Taryn's great blog about making it to their first Saturday Market with baby Bracken along at woolymossroots. Frankly, she was my inspiration for even blogging this afternoon. If Taryn & Jeff can make it to Market with a baby, then I can push myself through a blog post. Thanks, Taryn!

This is my 20th season of managing the Market. You'd think I'd have plenty of muscle memory for getting in gear and rolling through these first few Saturdays. Not so much as it turns out. I got in a bit early and traipsed on down to the Park Blocks, only to realize that I'd forgotten all the things I really needed to bring from the office. Performer checks, food vouchers, signs... So once I got Gordon Kaswell settled in (he'd done most of the settling himself) I went back to the office for the forgottens.

Some sign posting, tea drinking and fussing around and suddenly it was noon. Nary a photo had entered my camera! Fortunately Eagle Park Slim was happy to oblige.

I never really got all the way into the photo groove all day long. Maybe I was distracted by the crowd going completely wild after every song that Ben Fish & The Blues Busters played.

Or the amazing and adorable Emerald All Star Cheer team stopping in to show some skills. This special needs cheerleading team is one of two such teams ever invited to perform at the Cheerleading Worlds in Orlando.

Or the tap dancing busker on the corner.

Or the astonishing native garb.

Or the beautiful blue orb at Michael Bertotti's booth.

In retrospect, this is sounding like a perfectly average Saturday! Which means one in which you never know what you'll find, but it will always be fascinating.

See you tomorrow for another go-round!

Saturday Market #1: So Happy Together

2011-04-08T11:56:00.000-07:00

I bet I say this every year, and I know it's true every year. That was a really happy Opening Day! Seems like everyone I saw had a beaming smile, just happy to be back together on a Market day.

Here's Rich Glauber, with Diane McWhorter, Jello Artist Extraordinaire, and Joanie a.k.a. SLUG Queen Scarlett O'Slimera, making folks aware of that evening's Jello Art show.

David L., a happy member of Accordions Anonymous, though he's not playing an accordion at this very moment...

The Rev. Bro. Uncle Jesse is mighty happy to be playing along with the Conjugal Visitors.

Her Royal SLUG Queenliness Slugasana happy to be busting a move during Zambuko's marimba set.

Link is happy to have somewhere to parade his finery.

Zambuko marimba folks, happy to be playing and keeping the clouds at bay.

And Stephen Lossner, very happy to have space to sell his cool new product on the first day.

I expect Market #2 will be equally happy, come on down and share your smile why dontcha?

Saturday Market 2011: See You Saturday!

2011-04-01T17:42:00.000-07:00

That's what we've been saying excitedly all week long to everybody who stops in the office. "See you Saturday!" It's good to say it and really mean it, after a long three months of Market hibernation.

And now it's "see you tomorrow!" as the food court sets up a day early, just to make our Opening Day Morning go more smoothly for all.

I will be glad to see this empty place filled with people and booths and delicious aromas and bright colors and festive sounds.

And I will be most glad to watch everyone greet each other with smiles, hugs and laughter, happy to be back together again at our beloved Marketplace.

It has seemed, as that band once sang, a "long, cold, lonely winter." But here comes the sun! Whether it's the actual sun, or just the sunny atmosphere of Opening Day, I'm ready to bask in it.

See you Saturday!!

Saturday Market 2011: T-minus One Week and Counting...

2011-03-25T17:12:00.000-07:00

Here we are, the Market crew for this season. This is just after our pre-season staff meeting. As usual, a mix of familiar faces and new ones to the Market staff.

From L to R we are: Erich (Info Booth), Colton (site worker), Sandy (Info Goddess), Vi and Beth (Managers), Evam (site crew manager), Bryan and Izzy (site workers), Kimberly (Info Booth), Justin and Joey (site worker) and Kris (Info Booth). There are also five more guys that weren't at the meeting, most of them will spend their time at Market sorting the trash into compost, recycling and garbage. And there's me, Kim (manager), invisible behind the camera. Somebody had to do it...

It's been a busy winter as it always is. We have to put away Holiday Market, and then start up the Saturday Market. There are forms to invent and mail out and receive, databases to update, new products to review, budgets to plan, a stage to book, ads to place and create, committees to meet with and a whole lot more. It looks to the public like we all - staff and vendors alike - work one day a week: Saturday! That's how it should be, looking effortless and magical. But it takes some of us all week to make sure it goes that smoothly.

We are looking forward to getting the Market started on April 2, as we always do. But for tomorrow, we are all going to savor our last Market-less Saturday until the end of the season. I'm heading to Portland Saturday Market to get in the Market mood. How about you?

Holiday Market, the Final Five!

2010-12-17T18:02:00.000-08:00

Here come the last five days of Holiday Market - Saturday & Sunday, then Wednesday, Thursday and Friday. It's a busy, exciting week! I think I'm ready for it, how about you? Since times are a bit crunchy, I'm going to go light on the blog...

But I wanted to share a couple of fun moments from last weekend. We started out with forty or so young Suzuki Strings players on stage. Anyone who's been reading the blog knows how much I love having kids perform, and how much I admire those who teach music to kids. This group was exceptionally well organized and beautifully behaved, along with playing very well.

We ended the day with the Cal Young Middle School Jazz Band, always a favorite of mine. Also extremely well organized, they manage to squeeze at around thirty kids on stage with chairs, music stands and instruments.

Sunday's theme was Holidaze in the Tropics, and I love it when groups play along with the dress up game. Accordions Anonymous always pleases in that regard, they all dressed accordingly and played tropically themed songs, and a few holiday favorites as well. A real plus was Bud's tuba, festooned with flowers!

Tomorrow's theme is Prom Night, and Sunday's is the every popular Frida Kahlo Day. The next five days are filled with great music as well, including Sunday's back to back performances by Laura Kemp and The Traceys, and I know lots of folks look forward to seeing The Rosen Sisters (on Thursday) and one of my favorites, wrapping it up with middle eastern dance and music with Americanistan on Friday afternoon.

I'm also looking forward to doing some shopping! Here's a helpful hint - some folks will be selling all five of the next Market days, but lots of folks only sell Saturday and Sunday, and then a whole new crop of folks take their place for the last three days. The Market will be full of great things to buy, but you can also plan to take advantage of the variety by stopping by on the weekend, and during the week.

However you celebrate the season, the whole Market is grateful for your support, and wishes you all the best in the coming year! See you at Market...

Holiday, Holiday, Holiday Market

2010-12-10T17:18:00.000-08:00

At last, we made it to Holiday Market! At last, I have a bit of time and brain available to catch up with ye olde blog! Rather than give a detailed report of all seven Market days gone by, I'll share some of my favorite Market moments so far.

Daily Market Parades:

We start every Market day, Holiday and Saturday, with a singing, drumming, dancing parade of folks wishing us "prosperity and fun for everyone, the magic has begun for everyone, let's have fun!" as they stroll through the aisles. Here they are, gathered on Hats & Tiaras day in all their finery. It's a great way to start a day.

Dress Up Days:
We pick a theme for each day in advance. Some of us choose to dress according to the theme. It's silly, it's fun, it even spreads out into the community and customers show up in creative attire. This is the kind of thing you can get away with in Eugene, without even raising eyebrows.

Our Info Booth Staff was particularly excellent at playing up the Wild Wild West theme,

as were customers Chris & Etienne.

Tyler Dones excelled at Retro/Time Machine/Steampunk.

Nicki at Dana's Cheesecake excels at crafting her theme appropriate accessories on the spot from items on hand, like this charming Tiara for Hats & Tiaras day.

Not to be outdone, Janet and the Renaissance Pizza crew baked up some badges for Wild Wild West day.

You can see lots of photos of excellent dress up examples here if you need some extra entertainment: Dress Up Days Set on Flickr

Cool products:
Marketeers really do bring out their best work for the holidays. There's so much that even I don't get to see it all. Last Sunday I started taking pictures of some of the wonderful goodies for sale and sharing them via Twitter/Twitpic. It was fun, and possibly inspirational to somebody out there, so I'll keep doing it for the rest of the Market days. You can find the photos and follow my tweets by going to twitter.com/saturdaymarket

Meanwhile, here are a couple of great things I've spotted:

Intricate reproductions of crop circles in wood, by John Polk (booth 66).

Also intricate illustration of a cougar, carved into a conch, by Danny Haworth (space 15).

Great Music:
From my stage side perch, I get to see some amazing performers. They are all great but a couple of my favorite moments were

The Eugene Bhangra Youth Dancers. So much color and energy!

Jim Page with Billy Oskay, just pure delicious folky awesomeness.

Mood Area 52, always a personal favorite, and they sounded great.

There's so much to any Holiday Market day, I can't really do it justice in a blog post. The best plan is for you to stop by this weekend, or next, or Dec. 22-24, or any combination thereof, and find yourself some sweet Holiday Market moments of your own! See you there...

Saturday Market #33: Goodbye Park Blocks, Hello Fairgrounds!

2010-11-19T16:46:00.000-08:00

Here's more than I can tell you about last Saturday, the final Market of the outdoor season. I'll let the pictures tell the thousand words, since I've little time for blogging this week:

Little time because we are busy getting this giant empty room

transformed

into the magical land of Holiday Market!

Starts tomorrow morning, runs weekends through Christmas Eve. Come and see! See you there...

Saturday Market #32: It's Still Worth Showing Up

2010-11-11T17:01:00.000-08:00

The prospect of spending a day outside in November in Oregon doesn't seem all that enticing. When it's raining on the way in from home, even less so. But even on a damp November Saturday, there are sweet surprises that make it all worth while. For me Saturday's magic centered around three things.

Thing 1: The weather! Again we were so lucky. It stopped raining before 10 and was dry and even sunny for a while, and near enough to warm to abandon most layers for most of the day. Also, the colors...

Thing 2: My fellow Marketeers and Market-goers. Saturday there was a giddy mood on the Park Blocks. Part we're-getting-away-with-a-gorgeous-day-so-late-in-the-year, part school's-almost-out. The pace is slow, but in a pleasant, relaxed, enjoying each others' company way.

Thing 3: Grace Mitchell. Since year one of Grrrlz Rock, we've hosted various acts on the stage in November. Since I trust the Grrrlz Rock gang, I let them send me acts that I'm not always familiar with. I was happy to see Grace Mitchell would be showing up. I'd heard about her, and being fellow Cottage Grovians I knew she plays a lot in the Grove but never managed to see her. Now I know why I've heard about her. She completely wowed all of us. She's just turned thirteen, is entirely comfortable on stage, writes great songs, has a gorgeous voice and a fresh engaging style. It's a real treat to watch both the performer and the audience when everybody is "discovering" each other at a first Market gig.

This coming Saturday is our last one on the Park Blocks, always one I look forward to whatever the weather's like when I'm driving in. Besides just wrapping it up to head for the great indoors, I look forward to our big group scream at the end of the day. This time I'm also looking forward to the last band, Natty O, led by Jerry Leff who always recruits a great group to play with him. I hear another popular young singer, Savanna Coen, will be joining in, and who knows who else. It'll be fun no matter what. See you there!

Saturday Market #31: Creative People = Creative Costumes

2010-11-04T18:07:00.000-07:00

I always love it when Halloween is close to a Market Day. Creative people make creative costumes! There are a couple of food booths that play dress up spontaneously, even on random Saturdays, so I always expect great things from Bangkok Grill and Dana's Cheesecake. They did not disappoint!

Here's Dru at Bangkok Grill, jauntily ready for the Tour de France circa 1880 or so.

The Dana's Cheesecake Crew also steps up, with a cougar in tiger's clothing, a raccoon and Rosie the Riveter!

Diane is Mad as a Wet Hen (good thing it didn't rain much!)

My neighbors Dotti and Amethyst were a sweet pair of Harlequins.

But my favorites of the day, Chris and Elaine (our most stalwart customers) came as Bed Bugs. Their shirts say "Sleeps Well With Others," and the signs on their backs "looking for a home."

There are lots of other great costumes and other Halloween treats over on our Flickr stream: www.flickr.com/photos/eugenesaturdaymarket. Go have a peek!

Two more outdoor Saturdays left before Holiday Market, so come and enjoy the day with us in our native habitat, the great outdoors! See you there...

Saturday Market #28: Bright Spots in a Grey Day

2010-10-14T18:37:00.000-07:00

We had a taste of the "Rain" part of "Rain or Shine" on Saturday, and though it didn't rain hard or steadily, it was a grey day. Thankfully there were plenty of bright spots to keep me going!

Like this little one - two years old I'd guess - who had rain boots, but preferred to splash around without them. Did I mention that it was pretty warm for a grey day?

I loved passing by the Renaissance Pizza booth and realizing the leaves hanging from the roof were made of pizza dough.

I also love the leaves from "Michael's Tree" as we've started to call it, the one that turns first, west of the stage, as they migrate across the food court to my feet.

At one point during the Inspirational Sounds set I realized that there was a nice crowd assembled, and none of them had umbrellas. Just rain coats and hats, or not. We don't really fear the wet here.

A whole hour and more of assorted ukulele music from five different groups kept me on my toes at the sound board, and kept me quite entertained. Craig Chee (pictured here with Brook Adams in the background) is phenomenal. Catch his band some time if you can!

On a stroll through the West Block, I found Nathan goofing off in Raven's booth. Is this going on the internet? he asked. Oh, you know it! I replied.

Back at the Stage, the McKenzie Drifters were playing bluegrassy versions of John Lennon tunes in honor of John's 70th birthday. Who could not be cheered up by a bluegrass version of "Birthday"?

On Sunday I discovered two good blog posts from Marketeers about the day, so go and have a look at the day from a different point of view, if you like:
Lady Barbara's Garden blog post "It takes a neighborhood to be a Market" and Diane's Divine Tension blog post "Those Rainy Days."

Looks like this next one will be sunny again!! Hooray! Plus we've got a Market Wide Sale on tap, and no Ducks game, so come on down and grab some brightness! See you there...

Saturday Market #27: Market Haiku!

2010-10-08T17:08:00.000-07:00

That was a gorgeous Saturday! The weather was autumnal perfection, and the mood was happy and relaxed...

It was the perfect day for Mike Mortemore and Jeff McHarry to do some quality control testing on Jeff's cribbage boards...

And the perfect day for those who were not playing cribbage to get creative and write some poetry for our annual Haiku Contest! We ask for haiku and limericks inspired by Marketeers' experience of the Market. The grand prize is a year's membership at Costco. Here's this year's winning haiku, we love the "slice of Market life" tale it tells:

You are wonderful
Your work is spectacular
(Yeah. Buy something. Yeah.)
-Daniel Conan Young

Six runners up also won, and the prize is nearly as good as that Costco membership to a Marketeer! A brand new, fresh, unopened, unused roll of duct tape:

We're all reluctant
Dragging feet into autumn
Missing summer's crush
-Diane McWhorter

Sit. Stand. Sit again.
Wait. Hope. Watch. Dream. Stand. Sit. Gaze.
Finally, a sale!
-Nancy Bright

Late Season

Dark morn dark evening
Bright presence in the middle
Saturday Market
-Sue Theolass

Our Saturday Market has been
The place to come in Eugene;
Everything's made by hand
Come and hear a new band
It's like nothing else you've ever seen
-Lady B

Saturday Market, Eugene
Art work, crafts, and food
An outdoor celebration

There once was a Market in town
Designed to reverse people's frowns
When they give it a chance
And a long second glance
They're surprised at the treasure they've found
-Glenn Kriess (I included two of his, he submitted the most by far)

smile, laughter, fun
together
one hand we become
united always
-Maggie Duncan

Here's a selection of poems from the rest of the entrants. Thanks to everyone who submitted poems this year!

The sun on the Market did shine,
On the Oak and the maple and the pine,
Magical music filled the air,
From the fountain to the stair,
And in the food court many people did dine.
-Teresa Pitzer

Speculate sunshine
Duck game has people happy
No rain is great too
-River Kennedy

Summer feels long gone
Trees are turning fall colors
Still, flowers remain
-Steven Tucker

The tao of Market:
The joy of music and food,
fun, family and friends.
-Deb Schussler

Park Blocks are our home,
Like good neighbors we support
Rich and peaceful flow.
-Dennis Westfall

Saturday Market
Sounds, smells, feelings of delight
Sun shining all through us.
-Emesa Foss

Dislexia

To write a haiku
makes my brain like goo.
The thunder of the numbers
functions is lulled into slumber.
To control how I say
is just not my way.
-Michael Bertotti

Ducks on shirts for sale
Love and spirit in their threads
Help to win the game
-Carol Nelson

Unique goods and toys
Each made by a true hippie
Handmade from our hearts
-Amethyst Gambell

Sweet autumn unwinds
The orange leaves spiral down
And up twists my heart
-Amy Palatnick

A vendor at Saturday Market
Had a big booth but no place to park it
She tried out her hand in four-by-four land
And who knew, it worked
-Lady B, Deb Huntley, Susan Watkins

When trying to write haikus
Keep track of the rhythm you choose
It's just like a song
If the meter is wrong
You can always call it "the blues"
-Rich Glauber

We all rubber the lamp that we found
It was laying right there on the ground
The genie, he sighed
Said, "Sorry, I lied.
What goes around does not always come 'round."
-River, Raven, Diane, Chelsea

In comes the bustle
Myriad of creation
Small town for a day
-Katherine Emlen

We've created a world of our own
Where threads of love are sown
From an artist's hand
Wove into light and sound
-Janie Smith

Blessed Mother Earth
What must we do to heal you?
Beam love from our hearts
-Sydney Elliott

Promised sun today
Cool and overcast again
No rain, good, Hooray!
-Judy Anderson

Wandering leaf
I swirl amidst rising light
Frog's squealing chickens
-Jon King

Saturday Market #26: Duck Fever

2010-09-30T17:36:00.000-07:00

A quick glance around the beautiful, sunny Market on Saturday confirmed a serious case of Duck Fever. Both Market-goers and Marketeers were severely infected, as the place was awash in yellow and green "O" emblazoned clothing and accoutrement of all kinds. Since I was out in search of new products for the website, I decided to collect some of the clever Duck related items that folks have produced. These are some highlights, you can find my whole collection on the New Products Page.

What could be more Ducky than tie dye? (this one's from Dotti Smith)

Or the iconic Eugene Hippie Bus, duck style? (from Bryon Hummel)

You'll need a duck hat to go with that! (by Wendi Dudley)

Keep the Rose Bowl dreams alive all through the night with this Duck yellow rose nightlight (by Mindy Carmichael),

and meditate by day by gazing deeply into the Duck colored vortex marble (by the Mazet Brothers).

I've heard it never rains at Autzen Stadium, but it must get hot and cold, so grab a neck cooler and a cozy scarf and you're ready for anything (by Erin Kirkpatrick).

If you're heading out to the game this week, remember you can always grab some great food to go on the way out. The folks at Duck colored Tofu Palace, or any other food booth will be happy to wrap it up and send it with you!

Have a great Saturday, and go ducks!

Saturday Market #25: Rain, Rain Go Away

2010-09-23T16:06:00.000-07:00

We all know it was a soggy summer, one that barely felt summery at all. On the other hand, it was an amazing summer, because it really only rained during the week. I can't find mention of a truly rainy Saturday since the intermittently rainy Opening Day. You could also include the Great Downpour of May 9, our 40th Anniversary, which was technically a Sunday. One could argue that we got a whole season's worth of rain in about 30 minutes that day. Considering that all the following Saturdays have been pretty much dry and frequently gorgeously sunny, it seems pretty true.

So it was hard to face the soggy Saturday we were presented with this week, but we persevered through the relentless drizzle, and had a fun day anyway.

Pirate Queen Accordionna & Three Sheets to the Wind took us all on a musical voyage across the seven seas on Talk Like A Pirate Day Eve.

We sang sea chanteys, danced a hornpipe or two, and shouted "Aaarrrrrrr" a lot.

Brian Cutean invited his friend Ivory Pike to play harmonica with him during his set.

She did a great job, and had a wonderful time.

Roger's son Julian sat in on a few reggae tunes with Ras Gabriel & 4word.

Mind bending cuteness ensued along with the excellent music, and many photos were taken.

As always, Market folks like Elizabeth were happy to be there, rain or no rain. That's what tarps are for.

Folks like Jim can always keep themselves entertained in the slower, drizzlier moments.

It looks like we'll have yet another glorious sunny Saturday this week, with a forecast that reads "Sunny, with a high near 83. Light and variable wind." You can bet we'll be grabbing that second helping of Summer and making the most of it!

Saturday Market #24: A Confession

2010-09-16T16:20:00.000-07:00

This job makes me want to shop. It makes me want to spend money. It makes me want to acquire beautiful things of all kinds. This is true every week, but never more true than in September and October as I am out scouting for products and craftspeople to include in the Holiday Market ad campaign. The warm, slanting, golden late afternoon light in late Summer/early Fall makes everything look so beautiful, and all the more irresistible.

For instance, I really wanted to instantly take home...

this gorgeous necklace by Katy Jane,

and fun, fun glass bead necklaces by Sue Hunnel for outfits of a different color,

and this coral necklace by Deb Schussler for more dramatic occasions.

Since I'm wearing out my imaginary purse with all this fantasy shopping, and the weather might turn soon, one of these recycled innertube bags by Tyler Dones will be perfect.

These yard signs that Tarra Hartlauer makes are pretty adorable, maybe having one would inspire me to clean up the garden,

and I wouldn't likely wear a ring topped with a birthday cake or a plate of cookies, but that doesn't stop me from wanting all of them. Erica Hardin makes amazing tiny things.

After I've carted all my treasures home, I'll slip on these glorious clogs from Bob Walling's booth,

and curl up with a nice cup of tea in one of Amanda Ryznar's porcelain mugs (I'd ~~like~~ love to collect them all),

and I'll sit and remember seeing this scrimshaw necklace that Jeff Wilson made from an antique piano key and hope it's still there next week.

Truth be told, I do shop at the Market, and I have acquired many beautiful things over the years. But I can't help but fantasize about buying anything and everything that catches my eye...

Saturday Market #23: A Powerful Women Powered Afternoon

2010-09-10T17:25:00.000-07:00

Frequently the stars align when I'm booking the stage, and themes emerge. Saturday turned out to be a Powerful Women Powered Afternoon. These here are the Bunklettes who turned up to frolick around Uncle Bunkle during his morning set.

I can't remember who scheduled on the date first, but either Mare Wakefield or Laura Kemp picked Sept. 4, and then soon after the other one got in touch and I still had the adjacent set open, so I put them next to each other. It worked out perfectly, as they were playing together a lot while Mare was here on the West Coast.

So Mare and her husband Nomad sat in on a few of Laura's tunes, and Laura chimed in on some of Mare's, so it was two hours of gorgeous-voiced folkie bliss for me and everybody around. And there was plenty of singing along, too. We love sing-alongs at Saturday Market, and we're really good at it.

Fortunately, I-chéle & the Circle of Light were available for the dance set at the end of the day, so yet another powerful woman musician took us through the end of the day with some great Reggae.

She also got the beautiful Julie Stoike to join her for a few numbers.

They got the whole crowd dancing. We love dance-alongs at the Saturday Market too, and we are exceptionally good at that.

Saturday Market #22: We Love A Parade!

2010-09-02T17:07:00.000-07:00

Everybody loves a parade, and this year we were smack dab in the middle of it! Everyone especially loves the Eugene Celebration Parade, homegrown hometown wackiness and exuberance at its finest.

We were right behind the "Hundred Hen March"

and right in front of the SLUG Queen, who was followed as always by a giant slug who was followed as always by Congressman Peter DeFazio as Honorable Slime Scooper.

We were part of the Unique Eugene contingent in the Parade, and many fellow Unique Eugeneies were there to represent. Here are the stalwart Sundance Fruits & Veggies,

the Newman's Fish girls,

the flock from Raven Frameworks,

Oregon Art Supplies' kid contingent,

The Paul's Bicycle Way of Life gang, here jumping a bike over Paul himself lying in the middle of Charnelton St.,

and The Kiva's House Band who kept us dancing all the way through the Parade route.

Of course the best part of the Parade is marching proudly through the heart of Saturday Market where the home crowd is always happy to wave and cheer!

I've heard the rest of the Parade was fun too, but it's hard to tell from the inside out. I know we had a great time, and we'll do it all again next year. See you there!

Saturday Market #21: It's New To Me

2010-08-26T15:54:00.000-07:00

I love discovering beautiful things I've never seen at Market, especially in places I've "looked" many, many times. This last Saturday I was working on taking Beautiful Booth of the Month photos, and ended up standing in Gila Fox's booth a couple of times. As I was waiting for customers to do their business at the Beautiful Booth across the way, I started looking around at Gila's display. It's embarrassing how many times I've looked at her husband Tim's beautiful photos and photographed their flying origami dragons, and never seen these gorgeous, unusual torchwork beads.

Gila was very gracious as I was discovering them for the first time, confessing I'd never noticed. "They are subtle," she said, "I've been making them for a while."

I generally think of handcrafted glass beads as swirly multicolored fantasies, fun and eyecatching and anything but subtle. These are entirely different. As I admired them, she told me a bit about her process, how she makes the stamps she uses to impress the designs.

She also enthused about her experimentation with adding metals to the ivory colored glass, giving it the look of ancient stone or bone, and showed me her new favorite beads. They are really lovely.

So now I'm starting to think of who will especially enjoy receiving one of these as a birthday or holiday present, or which one I might need for myself... You can find Gila and her beautiful beads in space 119 on the Fountain Block if you want to see them for yourself.

Saturday Market Sidenotes: Beautiful Booths of the Month

2010-08-19T16:50:00.000-07:00

As I tried to come up with a blog post about last Saturday, it just kept turning into a complaint about the weather. Complaining about the weather after the fact doesn't do any good, about as much good as complaining about it during the weather. So I'm changing the channel. I want to highlight our Beautiful Booths of the Month instead.

We started back in 2002, or maybe earlier, picking a Beautiful Booth of the Month to feature on the Market website. At first I had a group help me pick, but now I decide myself, or ask folks to volunteer themselves, or ask folks who I should feature. Typically random, but effective. I really enjoy doing these monthly profiles, as it gives me a chance to get to know folks a bit better, and spend time looking at their products and listening to their Market story. Then I get to share it with the world at large.

This past month I featured Joy Tsunka and Glenn Kirk. Joy has been on the corner of 8th & E. Park for twenty years, painting faces, and selling art. Glenn is a long time Marketeer who is back from a several-year break, selling his woodwork. Click through here to read all about them.

This year I've also profiled Lady Barbara Hall, owner of The World's Tiniest Herb Shop,

Donna Crisp, who makes eco-friendly palm wax candles,

and Jeff & Taryn Wilson who create jewelry out of carved wood and semi precious stones.

Like everybody at the Market, each of them have a different and fascinating story about why they sell at Market, and why they create their particular art. I generally post the Beautiful Booth story on the last Friday of the moth, so enjoy those already published and stay tuned for next month's edition. This time I already know who it is, but you'll have to wait...

Saturday Market #19: The Comfort of a Usual Old Saturday Market Day

2010-08-12T16:36:00.000-07:00

Last week was rough. There was a lot going on both at the office and in my own life. My cell phone rang a zillion times, and people kept dropping in on Friday just when I was trying to get the website update wrapped up and everything else done, and there was a steady stream of SLUG Queen Contestants in and out... Those are the kind of weeks that make me appreciate Market more than ever. I got up Saturday morning craving the comfort of a same-old, usual, eccentric, unusual, beautiful Market day. Whatever the week throws at me, I know for the most part what Saturday will be like.

Something adorable will happen during the kid set, like a little girl giggling as she struggles to cut the rope so Invincible Vince can do his classic rope trick.

I'll try to capture the layers of huhbub in the food booths as you look through them from Edible Improv towards the Blazing Chef, and until there's a camera that captures aromas, I won't quite get it.

People will be zipping around the Market, waving at friends in their booths or down the aisles. Or stopping and chatting, or hugging each other in greeting.

There will be impromptu sing-alongs, like Jefferson Airplane Loves You having marketeer Patti White join them to sing "Somebody To Love" with audience members singing along too.

There will be amazing excellent music from world class musicians that choose to live and play and teach in Eugene, like this jazz quartet of Gerry Rempel with Gus Russell, Mark Schneider and Dennis Caffey.

I'll wander around and discover beautiful things that I've never seen before, even from folks that I've known for years and years, like these gorgeous lavender plates from Denise Davis. How have I missed them? Perhaps they're new?

Chances are also good that I will drop in on some unsuspecting Marketeer and ask them if I can put their picture in an ad, and they will happily oblige me and my camera, even if it is late in a long hot day. Like Kelsie McGee with Poppy & Moe who let me snap away and ask questions, all with grace and good humor.

At 5 PM, the place will start to be disassembled, loaded onto carts, put into cars and vans, and tucked away until next Saturday.

Sometimes I call the Market the exclamation point at the end of the week, and that's an apt description of the hoopla side if things. But I also appreciate the way in which it's a nice, calming period.

Saturday Market Important Notes: In Memoriam

2010-08-06T18:20:00.000-07:00

Two beloved Market members passed away this week. One suddenly, one expectedly (though we didn't have long to expect it).

Michael Caffrey was a jeweler, a painter, a photographer, a mobile maker, a craftsperson through and through. He sold at the first Saturday Market, was a regular for many years, took a few years break, and came back to sell nearly every weekend for the past number of years. He passed away from cancer on Thursday night or Friday morning. He was one of my Market neighbors and our whole neighborhood will miss him, like we have been for the past few weeks since he's been to ill to sell. I was happy to find this photo of him from Holiday Market last year - I'm sure he had no idea I was taking it or he would have ducked...

Fellow Marketeer and friend Diane McWhorter has posted a lovely tribute "A Life Well Made" on her blog if you'd like to know more about him.

Carole Bauman was a quilt maker who was sweet, soft spoken, kind and caring, and made friends with anybody and everybody no matter who they were, what they made, where they lived, what they looked like. She died of a heart attack on Wednesday night. I also caught her in her booth at Holiday Market a couple of years ago.

She once told Beth that "the best seven hours of my week are at Saturday Market." Her neighborhood will miss her greatly as well. Carole's neighborhood being the entire Market...

We have a long standing tradition of putting a memorial table/shrine/altar in a Marketeer's booth space when they pass on. Tomorrow there will be a table for Carole in space 153 and for Michael in space 327. Stop by and share memories if you'd like.

Saturday Market #17: Music's Edge

2010-07-29T14:09:00.000-07:00

Saturday was a stage-centric day for me, no doubt about it. It was a swirling succession of musicians, amps, guitar cases and assorted gear all day long from the first set onward. There was even a magician with all his gear thrown into the mix.

The true tidal wave of gear hit about 1:15 PM. The Music's Edge Rock Campers had arrived. It took a while to get the kids to move their stuff away from my neighbor Dotti's booth, but eventually we got it jammed in around the sound board. This is about half of it, three bands worth:

That being done, they commenced to wait...

and wait...

Finally after quite a bit of setting up, they commenced to rock. These are a couple of kids from John Shipe's band "Black Market."

They were followed by "Things That Happen In The Basement," mentored by Ehren Ebbage.

"No Hands," Tim McLaughlin's band, wrapped it up.

Some of these kids I recognized from last year, some were brand new. I was so impressed by them all! They had six days to form a band, learn the tunes, and get it all together. Heck, I know bands that have argued over a band name for more than six days... However Tim, John and Ehren managed to make that happen, I applaud them. The crowd was full of relatives and friends, all supportive, but lots of Market-goers stopped to watch too. Not to see if cute young kids could play old familiar rock tunes, but because the performances were really good. Another Rock Camp week is coming up, wrapping up with another showcase on the Market Stage on August 14 at 2. Come check it out, you'll be impressed too.

Saturday Market #16: New Kids on the Block

2010-07-22T18:09:00.000-07:00

Last Saturday was a rare one on the Stage. I always try to work new acts into the schedule, and this past Saturday there were three in a row! Though in this "negative two degrees of separation" community, it's hard to find folks with no Market connections to start with...

Kathy Marshall opened up the day with her original songs. It was her first Saturday Market gig, but she sells her Stillpoint Farm produce at the Farmers' Market.

Uncle Bunkle is also new to our stage. I am always excited to find new performers for the Kids' hour at 11 AM. He was full of funny songs and poems to share. We all really enjoyed his music.

I was also fascinated by his folding guitar!

Afterwards we chatted and it turns out that in a past life, as Tod Schneider, he ran the Jackalope Cafe food booth when Market was on the Butterfly Lot in the 70s!

At noon I was lucky to have recruited Jaw Knee Now & Marquee at the last minute (Friday afternoon) to fill in for a last minute cancellation. They'd dropped me an email recently, and I followed up on intuition that they would be perfect. I was right!

They had these sweet home made amps made from old suitcases, and they sounded great and played a fun, upbeat set of originals and nicely remodeled covers of 80s tunes.

Turns out it was John Barley behind the "Jaw Knee" moniker, he's played at Market, but it's been over ten years. Same with Mark...

I can't let the day pass by without a mention of Michael Tracey and the Hi Tones. Though Michael's played at Market frequently, this particular line-up was new to us, and the music was so much fun. What a great soulful, funky, dancing way to wind up a magical Market day!

This coming Saturday I've got WaHoo! at noon for their first gig in this particular configuration (Fiddlin' Big Sue, Janet Nelson & Alegria), I'm excited to have Magic Levin on stage for the first time for the kids at 11, and Music's Edge Rock Camp is bringing lots of new teenage players at 2. That show is always a blast.

On the 31st, Skoolboy Jim gets his first Market try at 10, and Robert Richter gets his first set at 1. Several more new-to-Market-Stage folks will play during August as well. Lots to look forward to! Stop on by and enjoy!

Saturday Market #15: Beating the Heat

2010-07-15T16:21:00.000-07:00

It was our first hot Saturday, temperatures hovering around 90 all afternoon. Being creative sorts, folks came up with various ways to keep their cool.

Tracy at Lulu's Smoothies adjusted her umbrellas all day long to stay in the shade.

Amy Palatnick kept hers close at hand.

Geoffrey Mays sported the samurai headband,

while Jamey Bilyeu from Ravinwolf wore two pairs of sunglasses.

Folks' products also suggested ideas. Mike Mortemore's koi were taking a swim,

some of Cliff Martin's collaged ladies went a bit light on the clothing,

and what could be better than sitting on a cube of ice, like the Mazet Brothers' frogs?

Perhaps removing your hair, and your head, and spreading out all over the place!

(like this doll-in-progress at Linda Shreve's booth)

We all survived in our various ways, and are looking forward to a perfect sunny and 80 degree day this Saturday! See you there...

Saturday Market #14: Balloon Flower

2010-07-08T16:29:00.000-07:00

It was a beautiful Saturday, the weather chilly in the morning and perfect in the afternoon, just like summer in Oregon!

My Market moment for the day was a simple one, Steve Davies, balloon making clown, creates a flower for a little girl. I'm going all photoblog on you this week, the photos tell a better story than words...

Have a wonderful weekend everybody. If you're around on Saturday, stop by. It's one of my favorite Market days of the year! Oregon Country Fair pulls many folks away to Veneta, but lots of us still come and commune at the Park Blocks as usual. See you there?!

Saturday Market #13: Surprised by New

2010-07-01T15:09:00.000-07:00

Every month I keep my eye out for new products for the New Products page over on the Market website. Generally I end up featuring the wares of brand new Market members. This time though, I stumbled upon brand new products from long time Marketeers over and over again. That seems to be a hallmark of this 2010 season, folks trying hard and really changing it up. Due in part to the state of the economy no doubt, but also due to the ever expanding creative curiosity of artisans in general. Market has always been a great place to try out new stuff and see how it flies out there with the public. Recycling/repurposing/upcycling is a common theme as well, as you will see.

Mindy Carmichael has always been a recycler artist, and now she's found a clever and cute way to use those ubiquitous plastic shopping bags. They are reborn as flower hair clips:

Melody McKenzie was always a fiber artist, spinning and dying yarns and roving and silk scarves in delicious colors. Now she's refashioned herself as a potter, making vessels in porcelain. She hasn't dropped her fiber connections though, using handmade doilies to impress designs on the clay:

Carol Nelson is using up some plywood scraps from her garage to make these sweet mosaic hand mirrors:

Doug O'Neil made extravagant art from tin cans for ever. He went off to Florida for a few years, and is now back with another great tin can recycling idea. He's turning Altoid tins into little smoker boxes to use in the barbecue:

Kathleen Hogan has sold lap desks at Market for many seasons. Now she's added these colorful confections made of the decorative glass pieces that abound at Goodwills and garage sales. They make a sparkly focal point in a garden:

This is by no means an exhaustive list of those who have or will create big variations on their familiar theme, or invent something completely new, just those I happened upon last Saturday. Come have a look for yourself, you'll be surprised!

Saturday Market #12: In Praise of Music Teachers

2010-06-24T16:19:00.000-07:00

A huge highlight of my Market day last week was watching the group billed as "The Keenan Dorn Experience." They ended up asking me to write "Old Soul" as the band name on the whiteboard, and that was an apt description as well. Keenan, up there in the red shirt, is fourteen years old and plays like he's more than twice that. He blazed through electric guitar classics from Pink Floyd, Hendrix, Led Zeppelin, and original tunes too. And it was his first public performance. Judging from the way the crowd went wild after every song, I feel confident saying it was a big highlight for everybody who saw him.

The gig was arranged by his guitar teacher, Geoffrey Mays, pictured here from an earlier gig. Geoffrey also lined up a stellar rhythm section with Mark Schneider on bass and Jason Palmer on drums. Keenan is one lucky guitar obsessed teen. That was a great way to start performing.

We are all lucky in Eugene. This town is filled with dedicated music teachers, both in public schools (though not enough positions are funded, in my opinion), and those who teach private and group lessons, and/or generally mentor young performers. Over the years we've been able to host student gigs for many of these music teachers and they are always, always a great treat.

Last month we had students of Paul Safar and Olem Alves.

On July 24 and August 14 at 2 PM we'll see the return of bands from Music's Edge Rock Camp, which is organized by Tim McLaughlin and includes great musicians like John Shipe and Zac Johnson among the instructor/mentors. Here are a couple of photos from last year's performance.

They do a phenomenal job of getting kids to form a band, in some cases learn from scratch how to play instruments, learn several songs and perform them, all in one week. That boggles my mind, and makes me excited to see what they come up with this year.

To all the musicians out there who are passing your skills and love for music down to younger generations, thank you sincerely. You've given me many of my best Market Moments!

Saturday Market #11: How Did It Get To Be Mid-June Already?

2010-06-17T17:39:00.000-07:00

Some weeks my blog post springs into my head fully formed by the end of Saturday. This week, I've been combing my collection of Saturday pix for inspiration. The one that's really jumping out at me it this one from Teddy Wheeler's booth:

That would be because I've spent good parts of the week updating and preparing... *drum roll please* ...Holiday Market applications to be sent to Market members early next month. I refuse to do the math on how many knitting days there are until the start of Holiday Market, but this week it does seem imminent.

Weren't we just popping our cute little heads up out of our respective shops, studios, living rooms and garages just a few minutes ago to get the Market up and running? It goes by so fast.

Since this post is a bit random, I'll now give an appreciative shout out to the kids from Camas Ridge and their teacher David Adee. Their marimba music most definitely sent the blanket of gray rolling aside to reveal a perfectly clear blue sky that lasted the whole day long. Thanks kids! See why arts education in schools is so crucial? It benefits us all in ways we can't even anticipate!

I seriously doubt the marimbas had anything to do with the appearance of Darth Vader plus a pair of Storm Troopers. I have no idea what prompted their walk through. I've learned not to question these things. As long as they keep their light sabers turned off, and universe menacing ways to themselves, they should scoop all the photo opps they can. It just adds a bit more fun to a sunny afternoon.

And why yes, I did indeed mess with the appearance of the blog! There were these fancy new settings available and I just couldn't resist, I think it's a bit more "Us." Expect some tinkering now that it's simpler to do. But I'll try not to be too random about it.

That's enough randomness for this week, we'll see what happens this Saturday. See you there!

Saturday Market #10: It's A... Market!

2010-06-10T17:13:00.000-07:00

Here's what popped into my head as I got to the Market on Saturday Morning from the office. It's a little bit like having a baby every week.

On Friday I was all ready, excited that the forecast was great and the stage lineup promised hours of fun music. I'd worked all week to be ready for the big day (this would be that delicious pre-natal nesting phase). Saturday morning rolled around and to be honest, I was feeling quite reluctant to rush out and Carpe the Diem. Sorta sleepy, kinda grumpy, downright cranky even. I was thinking "can't I just put this off a few hours?" (and this is quite like the onset of labor. Really... it's OK... I'd be happy to put it off a while... can't I?).

But, I rounded that last corner and caught sight of how adorable it all is in its morning glory. Happy friends and neighbors started saying Good Morning, setting up their little store fronts, some for the first time ever. Richard Crandell was waiting at the stage with his mbira. Dave was ready to fill my cup with hot tea. It was our brand new, fresh, baby Market day ready to grow up into something beautiful and suddenly I was all ready to help it grow and be happy.

And it was a beautiful happy day, with warm sunny skies and great music from the likes of Opal Creek,

the Traceys,

Olem Alves & Inner Limits,

and lots more.

As it turns out, I must have been tuned in to the Market network, as there was indeed a brand new Market baby born overnight on Friday. Shari's baby bump is now a beautiful baby girl, Lili, and Shari and Willy are blissful parents. Welcome to the family, Lili!!

Saturday Market #9: Ben Fish & the Blues Busters

2010-06-03T17:40:00.000-07:00

I'm surprised every Saturday by our good old Saturday Market. This past Saturday's best surprise was Ben Fish & the Blues Busters. Everything about their set was surprising. I do expect that high school kids can play well, and will make their parents and grandparents and friends in the audience happy. I don't automatically expect them to be completely organized, professional in their demeanor on and off stage, and to turn down when I ask them to. I especially don't expect that all day long everyone I see will tell me how much they loved them and please hire them back, and when I look at the Facebook page, I get the same story. What a delightful surprise! I'm also pleasantly surprised (though I should know better by now) that they already have a clip posted on YouTube. That allows me to make this a quick yet entertaining blog post.

Thanks Ben Fish and your band and all of your parents/roadies/fans, for such a nice surprise! Have a look here:

Saturday Market #8: Weather Magic

2010-05-27T12:04:00.000-07:00

According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, this is what we had to look forward to on Saturday:

"Showers likely, with thunderstorms also possible after 11 am. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 55. South southwest wind between 6 and 9 mph. Chance of precipitation is 60%."

Indeed the day started off showery and very chilly. Even at noon, Carrie & Michael from Planet Loop were well bundled up while playing.

But we do whatever we can to make the weather do what we want.

Method 1, the ancient Market chant revealed in a newsletter from Nov. 9 of 1970 "sun O sun, sun I hope!" If you get a whole bunch of folks in on it, it does seem to help.

Method 2, be prepared! On Friday afternoon I suddenly had a vision of how I could make a barrier to keep the rain from flooding the stage on a very wet day. I bought a cheap blue tarp, cut it in half, sewed a long tube into the bottom of it, filled it with sand, and voila! A twenty foot long sandbag with a big flap on it to direct the water away from the stage. Fortunately, I didn't have to find out if it will actually work, so that means it's worked fabulously so far!

Method 3, weather swap! I've been internet buddies for a couple of years with Mitch who runs the First Saturday Arts Market in Houston, TX. On Saturday we arranged a weather swap via Twitter:

Method 4: This is the one that really works best almost every time. Put a whole bunch of people together in a small space at a particular time, who are gathering with the intention of having a good day, eating some good food, making and spending some money, hanging out with friends, playing music, dancing and generally enjoying each other's company and the great outdoors. The soaring spirits manage to poke a hole in the clouds just about every Saturday at some point. The sun and the blue sky peeks through the clouds and blesses us with some warm rays.

(The Soaring Bird Sculpture is by Shane Schaeffer)

As for this week's forecast, it says
"Saturday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 68. Calm wind becoming north northwest around 5 mph."
Maybe that Texas weather swap really did work! See you Saturday...

Saturday Market #7: Hitting Our Stride

2010-05-20T14:23:00.000-07:00

What seemed over the top and overwhelming last week suddenly seemed absolutely normal this week. The Market hits its stride very quickly, quite an elastic and adaptable place. I suppose if you were a visitor at your first Saturday Market you might find some things quite unusual, the little things we take as interesting highlights in a normal Market day.

For instance, you may be strolling along behind the stage

and round the corner to find a choir singing early American shape note hymns.

Suddenly, the area is flooded with red clad fans of the Sugarbeets doing an intricate dance routine.

You grab a burrito and head over to the East Lawn to have a nice lunch on the grass, and while you're there you witness a large, furry creature making its way through the crowd.

With a happy tummy, you stroll over across the street for some more meandering and shopping. All is groovy.

You buy a candle from Gil Dunaway, who you find out has been selling candles at Market for forty years. Groovy indeed!

Now you need a piece of cheesecake to get you through the rest of your afternoon, so you head over to the food court where you run into Bill Bradbury on his magical two wheeled vehicle, working the crowd before election day.

And suddenly the food court becomes a big salsa dance party

fueled by the irresistible Son Melao.

So you ask the woman standing next to the stage "You guys do this Every Week?!" To which she replies "Of course! You're coming back, aren't you? See you Saturday..."

Saturday Market #6: The REAL Opening Day; Plus: Happy Birthday to Us

2010-05-13T16:08:00.000-07:00

Longtime readers of the blog and attenders of the Market know about a phenomenon called "The REAL Opening Day." It generally starts with a beautiful sunny morning that continues as a beautiful sunny afternoon, and is frequently accompanied by lots of other events in town that get folks out and about and in a happy mood. You can recognize it by the huge crowds of people at Market, their happy relaxed faces, and the sound of thousands of folks in one place hanging out together and having a good day. This past Saturday was that very day!

As always, I got to give away lots of great Market goodies donated by generous artisans, that makes everybody happy too. It looks like this Saturday is set to be another gorgeous sunny day, so let's do it all over again!

Sunday was the 40th birthday of the Market and we had a party on the Park Blocks. We celebrated with food, music and hanging out with each other on another beautiful sunny day.

At 4 PM we gathered for some group photos:

those who sold in the 70s

in the 80s

in the 90s

in the 00s

Notice how we all start looking kind of soggy? The next thing that happened was this:

So we all huddled up under the various tents and continued to have a good time, hanging out and making jokes, really really happy that it wasn't Saturday!

Big time thanks goes out to Soulicious, the band scheduled to wrap it up for us.

I offered to just let them go home, but they were determined to bring the sun back out for us, and it worked!

In the midst of the 20 minute thunderstorm, somebody pointed out that last year on Sunday of the Oregon Country Fair's 40th Anniversary the same thing happened, so we're in fine company! Thanks to all who helped organize and those who attended. Let's do it again in another 40 years. Until then, we'll see you on Saturday, down at the Park Blocks...

Saturday Market Sidenotes: Photos from The Old Days

2010-05-06T15:44:00.000-07:00

I've been immersed in preparations for our 40th Birthday party. Part of that immersion included scanning some old Market photos for Suzi Prozanski, who will be running a slide show and giving a thumbnail sketch of Market history on Sunday. They sit in a book out front in the office, so they do get looked at fairly frequently, but it will be great to get some of them out where folks can see them. I'll be posting them on the Flickr stream soon, here are a few fun ones as a preview.

This is M'Lou Zahner Ollswang. She was the first Market manager, know far and wide for her sweet disposition and her flower bedecked hat, so I've been told. She was married to Paul Ollswang, the well known local cartoonist whose art I borrowed for the anniversary T-shirt. I'm pretty sure she works in radio somewhere out there in the wide world.

I'm pretty sure this shot is from the early side of the mid 70s from the looks of it. It's taken on the Butterfly Lot, which is the parking lot that's behind the current Farmers' Market site. That was the Market's home from '72 through '82. Many current Market folk sold at some point on the Butterfly Lot. Any of us can tell you how much fun it was to set up with the ground at an angle, especially on a rainy day with oily parking lot water running under your feet. That is why I didn't call them the "good" old days in the post title.

The entertainment took place in the middle of the Parking Lot, and the food court was up at the north end. We didn't have a nice big tent for our customers to sit under. But from the looks of this, we managed to have fun anyway! You can click on any of these photos and you'll end up at the flickr original, and you can look at a bigger version by clicking the "all sizes" button above the photo. It's worth it to see the faces. If you recognize anybody, leave a comment!

Back in the day, there were no reserved spaces, so folks would come eeeaaarrrrllly, and put a chair or something in their space to hold it. Look and you'll see lots of single items in spaces in amongst the early birds that got set up first thing in the morning.

This Saturday, we'll be thrilled to have a sunny day, in amongst the trees, on flat pavement, with beautiful tents and reserved spaces. These are the Good Old Days, but we'll have a great time celebrating the Old Days too. Market is on Saturday just like usual, and our Birthday Party is Sunday, 1-6 at the Park Blocks. No Market on Sunday, just a celebration. You can find all the details here on the Facebook Event page. See you there!

Saturday Market Sidenotes: Alive and Well

2010-04-23T17:02:00.000-07:00

Saturday Market #3 was a lovely, busy, happy, typical spring Market day. I don't have much else to report on it actually.

What I do have to report on is The Market's upcoming 40th anniversary which we are celebrating on Sunday, May 9 at the Park Blocks. It's not a Market day, it's just a party day. We're going to take time away from work to celebrate our beloved Marketplace and all the people that have contributed to its success over these forty years.

I spent a couple of days this week on the design for the T-shirt and poster for the party. I was in a quandry about what to do with the design. We'd brainstormed some ideas, including a list of words to go with "40" but I need something more. Then on Saturday after Market the old Paul Ollswang poster that hangs in our lobby caught my eye. "Saturday Market is alive and well" it proclaims proudly, announcing that in November of 1971, Market was alive and well and continuing every Saturday through Christmas. Suddenly the design started to come together in my head. There's a banner at the top of the poster that says "Commerce Prosperity Virtue." Diane McWhorter suggested I change it to say "Prosperity and Fun for Everyone." Anybody that's been on the West Park Block in the morning will recognize that as the morning Market chant, sung by Raven and Levana and Willy and whoever else wants to chant and dance along around the neighborhood. Posters will be out and around town next week, and t-shirts will be available at the party.

I had a delightful conversation this week with Paul O'Curry, who was the Market manager in 1973 when the Market was on the Butterfly Lot. He reminisced about the early days and the people that were important in making the Market tick every week. He told me that he used to own the old Natural Food store at 4th & Lincoln, and under his direction the Market added a Farmers' Market section to the Market. This later became the Lane County Farmers' Market, a separate organization, somewhere around 1982 I think. He told me about Don Micken, a local architect, that did all kinds of things to support the Market including designing and building the magnificent Info Booth on Wheels that used to grace the Butterfly Lot Market, and about Dick Cross, woodworker, who designed the classic wooden Market booth that folks still make to this day. He talked some about M'Lou Zahner Ollswang who was the first Market Manager, wife of cartoonist Paul. He also told me about many things he did in his job that we still do today, like working with the city and the county, and keeping people from selling imports at the Market. The most important thing about the Market, he said, was that people helped each other out, and that if somebody started out not knowing a thing about what they were doing, folks would help educate them.

We agreed that much has changed at the Market since then, but after our chat I realize (as I always have suspected) that in it's heart and soul, the Market is still much the same as it was when it was born on May 9, 1970. We still keep the products handmade, and we still help each other out.

Saturday Market #2: We Are Having Fun Yet

2010-04-16T15:06:00.000-07:00

Well, at least on stage we are! I managed to catch a few musicians mid-bliss on Saturday.

Eagle Park Slim:

Jerry Zybach:

Kenny Barron and Craig Sorseth with Strange Brew:

Even over on the other block, musician folks were having fun, like Olive from Aeon Now:

Lots of non-musician type folks were having fun too - bliss does radiate, you know...

See you Saturday!

Saturday Market #1: This is Opening Day

2010-04-08T17:33:00.000-07:00

This is Chip Cohen, playing the first set of the Market year. He's played the first set of the Market season every year since 1997. He also tends to play the first set on the last day of the outdoor season, "The Alpha and Omega" as he has been know to say. Two of the potentially worst sets of the season, weather-wise anyway, and Chip is there! He is one tough fiddler.

This is the crowd in the Food Court at about 11:30, looking pretty robust considering it was chilly and damp, and following a very spring-in-Eugene-like Friday that treated us to alternating sideways hail and sunshine. These are some tough marketgoers. The more the day progressed, the more crowded it became.

This is Zambuko. It was raining, really raining pretty hard, when they set up and started playing. When I introduced them I said they would bring the sun out soon, but I'm not sure they believed me. Within the span of the first couple of numbers, the rain stopped, the sky brightened, then the clouds blew away and we were left with a lovely, sunny afternoon. These are some tough marimba players, so tough they can send the rain packing and bring out the sun.

This is Dotti Smith's new kind of tie dye. She's using real indigo to dye, learning a new process, watching the color magically change from ugly green to beautiful blue as the dye cures. Everywhere I looked on Saturday I saw Marketeers who've spent the winter learning new techniques, developing new products, pushing their own boundaries, even after years of crafting. They watched Friday's weather, but took a gamble and packed up their beautiful new stuff and brought it to Market on opening day. These are some tough artisans, and talented too.

Come on by this week, toughness is never a requirement at Market, but some days it sure helps!

Saturday Market 2010: Minus Two and Counting...

2010-03-19T12:10:00.000-07:00

It's that time of year. That "I! Miss! My! Market!" time when every sunny Saturday is both a blessed day off, and a missed Market opportunity. It's the time right before the adrenaline kicks in and everything turns into last minute rushing around and excited anticipation. It's the boring calm before the thrilling storm. And it's the rhythm of life around here.

As always, there's been lots of planning in the off season, and there are exciting new things on the horizon. Here are a couple of highlights.

First off we'll have three beautiful new white topped tents to replace the old yellow ones in the food court. The plan is to have them for Opening Day! I think we'll get to give them a trial set up next Saturday - we're all excited about that.

Second, it's our 40th anniversary this year, and we're planning a big, fun birthday party with picnic and games and music on the Market's birthday, May 9. It's a Sunday, and it happens to be Mothers' Day - a perfect day to celebrate the Mother of Oregon's Saturday Markets. Stay tuned for details, everybody's invited!

Like a good Mom, the best things in our character don't change. Our 40 year dedication to supporting local artisans by providing a low cost marketplace, the best Food Court in the west (and beyond), a showcase for the vast variety of talented local musicians, and best of all "a true mixture of ages, incomes and lifestyles meeting with ease and pleasure" as our founder Lotte Streisinger so aptly put it.

Because I'm so ready for a Market day, I'll head off to Portland this Saturday, just to whet my appetite and get all the way into the Market mood.

Our own Saturday Market opens on April 3, so mark your calendars and I'll see you there!

Holiday Market 2009: It Takes A Village...

2009-12-18T15:48:00.000-08:00

It's been a great season so far at Holiday Market. Word on the street, or rather in the aisles, is that folks are selling well and our friends and neighbors and fellow Planeteers are indeed buying local, and enjoying themselves doing it!

We have a saying in the Market office (well, many, but this is the pertinent one), "It takes a village to make a Market." Every person at Market, from the three of us in the office, to all the Saturday workers, to the Market artisans and musicians, to the Market visitors to make this place what it is. Everybody, even the freshest baby on its first Market visit, has an essential part to play any Market day. It takes us all to manifest the creative energetic whirl of life and spirit that makes the place feel like the essential center of the Universe. My sincerest thanks to everyone who has played their part this and every season.

Here is our annual family portrait, taken last Sunday morning by Michael Omogrosso. If you click through you'll end up at Flickr where you can click again for a nice big version. This is our village at its Sunday morning finest. It was Wild Wild West day, so you'll see plenty of western hats, and even a stuffed stick pony up front. This is a fraction of the folks who make up the Market family, but it's a good representation!

We have five more Market days to go - Saturday & Sunday, then Tuesday through Thursday. Stop by the village and take part if you can. Have a happy and safe holiday season! See you there...

Saturday Market Was Blessed to Know Papa Soul

2009-11-20T15:26:00.000-08:00

Papa Soul played with his musical partner Jason Johnson last Saturday, on our final outdoor Market. As usual, he was a ray of sunshine on stage and off, joking about freezing because he was the only person in Eugene wearing shorts on such a chilly day, and then playing his heart out as he always did. Then on Wednesday he died from a heart attack.

They were planning on playing opening day of Holiday Market, this Saturday, and I was planning on enjoying every minute of it, and all the energy their music brought to the room as usual. Instead I'll happily remember last Saturday, and the 100% pure love light and joy that poured out of Papa Soul through his music.

Have a safe journey, Papa Soul. Know you brought a whole lot of happiness into our Market family!

Saturday Market #32: Whatever Gets You Through The Day

2009-11-12T17:01:00.000-08:00

Here are a few of the things I have in my personal make-it-through-November-Saturdays tool kit. Don't get me wrong, I love all Market days. For a November day, this one wasn't too bad. It was sunny and nearly warmish until 1, and it was only raining torrentially for an hour or so, and we got to load out during a nice break in the storm. But still, they can drag on when you haven't thought about putting your rain coat on over your down coat when you go out to siphon the rain from the roof and your coat suddenly stops being warm and starts being heavy and wet. d'oh!

The Magic Life Saving Elixir - Dana's hot chocolate WITH whipped cream,

smiling, sympathetic Market friends and family - Rona, Roya and Nadia from the Afghani booth in this particular case,

food!! like pad thai from Bangkok Grill for instance,

a little plastic (gotta keep it dry somehow),

and some good old fashioned rock and roll to keep the blood circulating at the end of the day - Big Roy & The Twigs style.

Many thanks to all who were there with me - you helped me make it through!

One more Saturday on the beautiful Park Blocks, and then on to Holiday Market!!

Saturday Market #31: Halloween!

2009-11-05T15:08:00.000-08:00

I love when Halloween and Market fall on the same day! I know when I show up in costume, I won't be alone. And there will be really creative costumes. This year the day was damp, but that did not deter hardy marketeers from showing up in style. You can see the whole collection of costumed folks on the flickr stream, meanwhile, here are a few of my favorites:

An awesome impromptu costume at Dana's Cheesecake, made from coffee filters, straws, a paper plate and masking tape. Tada! Instant Coffee Fairy!

Our favorite never-miss-a-market customer Chris showed up as a Lab Rat.

Glenn Kreiss is impersonating an out of work politician, I believe.

I love Kirk's Kirk costume! So authentic...

Kimberly is both Alien Visitor and Fashion Astronaut. Just about every other day of the year, she wears white.

And super bonus points to Susurri, the band, for showing up in the rain in clever delightful costumes. I loved love loved the music. It was funny to watch them play this gorgeous textural indie-folk/pop in those costumes. Catch them if you have a chance!

Two more Saturdays in the great outdoors to go. Stop by when you can!

Saturday Market #30: Loving the Light

2009-10-30T15:27:00.000-07:00

The afternoon light is always beautiful on the Park Blocks, but I love it best in October. Is it because I know it's getting rare? Or the steep angle? Or the extra drama it adds to photos? All of the above, no doubt.

Todd Kelly's jumble of corked jars caught my eye.

The glow of the tent and the leaves was irresistable.

I loved the light on Sue Theolass' velvet bags and their twisty strings.

And I especially love the glow that it gives the edges of everybody and everything.

Whoever gets the stage left side of the stage at the end of the day gets the best dramatic lighting - in this case David G. with People's Choice.

And it lights up the booths across the street.

I think we might be missing the sun a bit tomorrow, but we have Halloween costumes to make up for it! Next week I bet you'll be seeing the best of Market costumes!

Saturday Market #29: If You Advertise "Rain or Shine"...

2009-10-23T16:51:00.000-07:00

Then you've probably got to live up to the "rain" side every once in a while. Fortunately, we only really lived it for an hour or so, and the cold hasn't settled in yet. The hour it did rain, though, hoo boy did it come on down! By the end of the day it was sunny and pretty once again. You can pop over and see photos on the Flickr stream if you like.

I'm much more excited about this! Previews for you of the Holiday Market posters. I sent them to the printers today, with any luck we'll have them next week. Now that the world of printing has gone all digital, it's perfectly reasonable to print two versions. So I can satisfy those who love to look at groovy people, and those who love to look at cool stuff. If you'd like to look closer, click on the photos and you'll go to the Flickr stream, where bigger versions live.

Phew! It's always a relief to have them out the door and out of my fussy hands so I can't move individual stars around any more. Now to anxiously await the results... Good thing I've got a Market to spend the day at tomorrow, the weather looks like it will be perfect. See you there!

Saturday Market #28: In Two Places At Once

2009-10-15T16:04:00.000-07:00

Once October rolls around, I really do have the sense of being at two jobs simultaneously. October is when I need to get Holiday Market ads and promo stuff up and running, while keeping the regular Market ads and promo stuff running as well. Even Saturdays have that sense, as I'm running the stage and trying to run around between set changes and grab the photos I need.

Here's a sneak preview of the centerpiece of this year's poster, a gorgeous, whimsical necklace by Angela Lees, made of an antique drawer pull and an antique doll house bird cage. I got goosebumps the first time I saw it. I also wore it for a little while on Saturday while we were filming the Holiday Market commercials. Way fun to wear!

I also got out and took some pictures of Marketeers to use. I always have fun with this part of the project, and some great conversations. Terry McIlrath used to sell at Market way back in the mid-seventies, spent years selling successfully elsewhere, and just started selling at Market again this year. We talked about amazing it is that Eugene has a place where young people learn that it's possible to make money from making art.

And Jon King and I chatted about how amazing the weather was and who knows what else.

All in all, a beautiful, busy Saturday. Looks like we may not be as blessed by the weather this week, but that won't stop us! By the way, there's a Market Wide Sale on Saturday, so stop by and see what great deals you can find!

Saturday Market #28: Weather? or Not...

2009-10-07T16:04:00.000-07:00

I can't quite believe it, but I looked back and I've never used this oh-so-clever title for a blog post! How can that be? Weather is a major topic of conversation every Saturday. Actually the conversation starts around Wednesday, as we start looking at the NOAA weather site. Not that the view from Wednesday is reliable. This week we were reminded that even the forecast for the next hour can be very wrong, and we learned it in a GOOD way.

Friday morning's prediction was for rain, possibly thundershowers, after 11 AM. By Friday night, they'd even thrown some hail into the possible mix. Much to the delight of the Sonic Soles dancers from Musical Feet dance school, at 11:41 the weather was still quite delightful.

At 12:41, the dire predictions still hadn't come to pass. I was on the West Block looking for folks to photograph for the Holiday Market poster, and caught this glimpse at the West Block through Michael Bertotti's booth.

At about 2:15 we could see some rain heading our way from the north, and by 2:30 there was cold wind, a dark cloud overhead and a few tentative raindrops. Everybody scrambled for their tarps and jackets. By 2:59, when this photo was taken, the cloud was gone and there was a huge flock of 130 big black birds, possibly vultures, circling in the distance, then moving some, then circling, then flying overhead. Quite fascinating to watch them be stirred up by the passing storm.

By 3:54, the late afternoon sun was causing the macrame plant hangers at Erin Kirkpatrick's booth to glow,

and the blue haired hula hoop girl on the East Lawn was warm enough to be jacket-less.

At the end of the day, (4:57 to be exact), we were still basking in the glow and enjoying the sun on that tree that we watch turning red in October. Everybody packed up safe and dry, another weather miracle.

Thank you, Mother Nature!

Saturday Market #26: The Annual Haiku Contest

2009-10-02T16:33:00.000-07:00

It was an incredibly beautiful day last Saturday. The weather was complete perfection! All the fairies were basking in the slanty Autumnal light!

And Marketeers were busy, counting syllables on their fingers, dusting off their rhyme schemes, composing entries for the annual Haiku/Limerick Contest. I think everybody was inspired by the beautiful day, we had more entries than ever! It's finally occurred to me to share the best of the results here, so you can know that Marketeers' creativity extends beyond what they make with their hands. Our winners were Dotti Smith and Amethyst Gambell, a mother/son team that turned in five fine haiku and a four part limerick. Here are their winning words:

beauty fall morning
sales, o sales I am hoping
ancient market wish!

spicy market smells
swirling, dancing w/the band
market from my booth.

crispy autumn sun
yummy food court smells abound...
perfect market day!

spicy food court smells,
retrofuturistic tunes.
colors everywhere.

crispy fall mornings
melt into hot afternoons
market seasons' change.
___

The Tale of the Green-and-Brown Hippie

There once was a hippie from Nantucket
who made up his dyes in a bucket
he decided to make a scene
being very green
and told the power company to suck it!

There once was a hippie who wanted to go completely green
so he packed up his wares and moved to Eugene
he wouldn't hurt even a fly
with any of his dye
he didn't even use a washing machine!

There once was a hippie in Eugene
who was the happiest hippie ever seen
one day all his shirts turned brown
and even then he didn't frown
he called it a new style and they sold like a scream!

And once we had a tie dyer who lived entirely green
who was always happy despite his shirts turning brown, never mean
eveyone called his "style" quite trippy
so he became known as the green-and-brown hippie
but one day he moved back to Nantucket, never again seen.

The End.
___

Here are more great reflections of our Market in poetry. Great slices of our shared life from the sublime to the ridiculous. Warning to the sensitive - there are some strongly worded opinions here and there:

Oh the sun shines so clear and bright,
And the breeze blows gentle and light.
This is no time to lose it,
Just enjoy the music!
It's a beautiful Saturday, right?
-Autumn Breeze

Sidewalk Zen
True economy.
We're exchanging this for that.
Everybody wins.
-Deb Huntley

Last week rain and sales
The yin and yang of Market
This week sun and none

Sun came out today
A dance of light and shadow
Wind wants to join in

Sunshine sweet today
A blessing in the Autumn
Smiles fill the sidewalk
-Leslie Newcomer

Artist's tents appear
Staying local, keeping green
Eugene Saturday
-Kathleen Emlen

There once was a vendor named Weeze,
who felt vending jewelry a breeze,
She set up her shop,
with a dance and a hop,
while winking at all just to tease!
-Louise Prevost

A whirl of beauty,
Colors abound, happy sounds
magic in the air.

Artistic delights
Yummy bites, beautiful sights
And feelin' alright.
-Stephanie Barbuto

Her tattoo peeked out
through the slit in her white skirt
Saturday Market!
-Mary Flowerday

Saturday Market
metamorphosis for fun
the change: raw to done
-Debi Schussler

Early to set up
Wait all day for a sale,
Too late for a nap.
-Alisa McLaughlin

The Ol' Country Fair
won't allow me to sell there.
Buy here or be square.
-Owen VanHooser

We are the Market
Born each week of spirit play
Art, song, trees and sky.
-Tim Fox

Pack in and pack out
These are the days of our lives
from dusk until dawn.
-Maya Froebig

Let us choose this day
To celebrate what we have
and what we can share.
-Carol Nelson

Mixed up price tags show
money tides but rarely pools
Sad booth space boo boo.
-Anonymous Potter

Crafters united
we stand in sun, wind, or rain
for here we do love
-Raven Moon, River Kennedy & Windsong Morgan

There once was a vendor named Grumpy
whose aura was all grey and lumpy.
He woke up one day
His thoughts then did stray
And decided life could be grump free.

Market of Choice, a two versed haiku:
Push shove all for me
quarrel rudeness greed distrust
one more prickly day

Creative juices
flow through us all prepare for
customer delight.
-Sue Theolass

Cosmic Reunion
I am the vendor,
Uniting creation with
The rightful owner

Dana's Cheesecake
I can't remember
Is this my week for cheesecake?
Love it more than steak!
-Jan Spuelda

The customers come and they go,
The vendors are making some dough.
But there's no one to blame
for that 12:30 game
Except for the damn U of O!
-Alley Valkyrie

Day at the Market
Man yelling in the distance
Aw, what ya gon' do?
-Mindy Carmichael

Indian craft cir-
cle of Eugene; Saturday
morning rush hour.
-Cathy Nestor

There once was an artist from Market
Who had a bus but was unable to park it.
He'd circle the block,
To unload his stock,
Til one week he just freaked, and said f#?% it.
-Robert Duncan

Stone, wood, felt, glass, clothes
At the Saturday Market
art is everything.

Saturday Market Melodies
At the thud of a wagon our ears quicken,
The sound we hear may even sicken.
Such a terrible cry,
Like something may die,
But we know it's Frog wringing his chicken.
-Eliel Fionn

Saturday Market #25: Signs & Portents

2009-09-25T13:23:00.000-07:00

Saturday was just a couple of days shy of the Equinox, and yet signs of Fall were all around. The first sign is always the tree right above Sue Theolass' & Michael Caffrey's booth, just west of the stage. It's usually the earliest, and most spectacular, of the Park trees to change into her autumnal attire. She's just barely started...

The sprinkly misty rain that's more like very very wet air than even a drizzle hung around most of the day, sometimes turning into a shower now and again...

Then at 4:40, the band Cap'n Trips played "Ripple" and the clouds parted and the sun returned to shine on the end of the day. Umbrellas gratefully abandoned, we took a grateful break from the onset of Autumn.

And tomorrow's forecast? Patchy fog before 11am. Otherwise, sunny, with a high near 83. Back to the end of Summer!

Saturday Market #24: Forks & Foolishness

2009-09-17T15:30:00.000-07:00

Saturday was "The Day of the Forks" as Marketeer Diane McWhorter dubbed it. Metal forks have now replaced plastic ones in the food court at Saturday Market. This will keep around 4,000 forks per week out of the landfill. We've been using metal forks at Holiday Market for a couple of years. The Sustainability Committee worked on getting that program up and running for quite a while, and it's successful. It's more of a challenge to run a similar program on the Park Blocks, but the Sustainability Committee was committed to making it work, and found a commercial kitchen to wash the forks in, and created a distribution and collection system that works. The Board of Directors of the Market found the funds to purchase enough forks of our own to make it viable, as we'd borrowed Country Fair's forks for the short Holiday season in the past.

You can help, as a market-going metal fork user, by being sure to drop your used fork in the bucket provided at any compost/recycling station to help cut down on losses. If you find yourself with a surplus of forks and you'd like to add them to the pool, you can donate them by dropping them in a fork bucket!

And for the rest of the post, just a silly visual joke (we call these photodominos in Flickrland) culled from the pix of the day:

See you Saturday!

Saturday Market #23: Strange We Can Be

2009-09-17T15:03:00.000-07:00

Eugene Celebration's theme was "Strange We Can Believe In." Not much of a stretch at Saturday Market! We believe in (and be) strange, not strange, and everything in between every week. If a picture is worth 1000 words, here is the equivalent of 122,000 words on the subject of Eugene Celebration Saturday at Saturday Market:

Off Market Musing: Strange We Can Believe In

2009-09-04T16:33:00.000-07:00

That's the theme of this weekend's Eugene Celebration, and in many ways an fair statement of a Eugene state of mind. So many of us do believe in strange! Last night's S.L.U.G. Queen Competition and Coronation is a shining example. Eugeneans discovering their inner S.L.U.G.s and putting them on display for the adoring crowd. We've been working hard for a couple of weeks to get it all organized, the Old Queens and I, and we put together a sweet and funny show. At the end, this lovely gentleperson, The Arch Duchess Anislugsia, was elevated to Queen Anislugsia. We are in for a delightful year, I can tell!

Just a couple of hours ago I took a walk through the fenced off downtown, as crews were preparing for tonight's Celebration festivities. It's fun to stroll through the somewhat deserted streets, and feel the anticipation of the burst of energy that the evening will bring. The statue of Ken Kesey reminded me of one rainy Celebration evening in the mid-eighties. My son Victor was about three and bursting with energy. He couldn't help but dance to whatever music was going on, having fun making mud puddle splashes while he was at it. We turned to look at the gentleman sitting near us, completely enjoying Victor's dancing and egging him on. It was Ken Kesey.

Have a fun and believably strange weekend, everybody! See you at Market.

Saturday Market #21: Magical Musical Tour

2009-08-27T14:57:00.000-07:00

Oops, this was Market #21! I got ahead of myself a few weeks back. Numbers have never been my strong suit...

The REAL Market #21 was all about music for me. Musicians were everywhere, on stage and off. The day started with the delightful Petrojvic Blasting Co. and their street-side Balkans meets New Orleans music.

They put everyone in a most happy mood. I was able to get out and about for a while during the next couple of sets on the stage, where I saw lots and lots of sidewalk musicians jammed into every possible nook and cranny, like this multi-tasking guy on drums, banjo and cell phone,

this sweet couple singing Mexican tunes,

and this little girl on her little fiddle.

A big highlight for me, and everybody else judging from the crowd response to every song, was the Music's Edge Rock Camp Showcase. There were four bands of kids, each group paired with a great mentor - John Shipe, Ehren Ebbage, Zak Johnson and Tim McLaughlin. They all managed to learn and perform three songs. We heard everything from The Beatles to Ben Folds to Steve Miller to Michael Jackson, with plenty in between.

And these weren't just clinging-to-each-chord-for-dear-life performances, either. There was some really great, up-and-coming musicianship on show.

I know I'll be booking some of these kids for their own sets in the not too distant future.

The big, long, happy musical day wrapped up with some tasty blues from Jerry Zybach & The Blues Scoundrels,

with a most delicious side of Summertime from Elizabeth Cable.

Perfect end to a perfect Market Day.

Saturday Market #21: And To Think That I Saw It At 8th & Oak Street

2009-08-20T13:19:00.000-07:00

Saturday Market frequently reminds me of that Dr. Seuss book "And To Think That I Saw It On Mulberry Street." Marco goes for a walk on his same old boring neighborhood street, and his imagination carries him away as he sees a horse and cart that turns into a whole amazing parade in his head. Except for at the end of the book, Marco tells his dad he's only seen a horse and cart, while at Market I really do see the amazing parade. I have photos to prove it! This week was no exception, here are a few glimpses:

Annie O'Reilly's famous magical dancing pig, dancing with a king.

The Bike Music Festival rolling through, complete with singing, guitar playing guy in a bike cart.

Maybe this guy's a Woodstock re-enactor? Or just good with color!

A Tin Man wannabee, playing his chest in a zydeco band.

A beautiful purple beaded goddess.

Fantastic, sparkly, colorful faces.

OK, I know it would have been much better in rhyme, but I don't have all week to blog! What will I see this week at 8th & Oak St? Come on along, and you can see it too!

Saturday Market #20: The First Time...

2009-08-13T17:00:00.000-07:00

Looking at my photos from Saturday, I realized I could string together some photos of firsts. Kind of a thin and funny thread for a blog entry, but I'll take it! And run with it...

This is Connor Hopkins, and he's playing his first Saturday Market gig! And obviously having a lot fun doing it. The band is called Groove Liberation Front. He says he's "officially a Eugenian" now that he's accomplished this feat. His wife, Charity, sells drums at the Market, and has for several years, so I guess that made her an official Eugenean first.

It was the McAuliffe/Redmon family's first time to set up behind the stage, in as long as I can remember anyway. Mostly this is an excuse to share two really sweet family moment photos that I got to catch by being their neighbor.

Cindia Carrere has a brand new SLR camera, and while it's not her first day of using it, she is getting her first spontaneous photography lesson from Richard, who magically appeared in her booth and asked if she wanted to learn how to use her camera. That's him there on the left, and you can read more about that story and see the other side of this photo at her Frida Chiquita Kahlo blog.

The most stunning first of all for me: How is this the first time I've ever seen these shadows? I've walked by Bob Hall's booth in the afternoon hundreds of times, and I've never noticed.

The moral of today's story: Though it may seem the same from week to week, if you pay attention there's always something happening for the first time at Saturday Market.

Saturday Market #19: Great Big Family

2009-08-06T14:38:00.000-07:00

It was a real family style day at Market on Saturday!

I love Truckstop Honeymoon. I look forward to their set all summer long. Yes, their music is hilarious and energetic and plain old fun. Yes, they have amazing rapport with the audience, and with each other. I love that. I also love that Mike & Katie bring their kids along. All four! This means I get to play with the kids and baby snuggle during their set, while enjoying wonderful music. Last year there were three, and just a couple of months ago Miss Esther joined the family. Two month old toes are irresistably cute.

Julian's also looking pretty sweet and sleepy on daddy Mike's shoulder. I got to wear/carry him when they were here last summer. He's too big for that now!

I did get to snuggle Esther for a while, but Dave from Edible Improv took over once he saw me trying to run sound, baby snuggle AND take photos at the same time. A bit too much multi-tasking...

Which left me free to entertain these bright delightful young women, Sadie and Vega, and Peter Wilde's daughter Rowan, with impromptu art camp.

Then they enjoyed a post-gig french fry party!

We understand bringing the kids along here at Market. I love that we teach them from early on how to make stuff, sell stuff, and live in community. Here are a couple more family moments from Saturday.

Maggie Duncan asked me to come and take a picture of their whole family for their Beautiful Booth page. They have definitely raised their boys at the Market. Fortunately, I managed to come by at the very moment they were all in the booth. Here they are, Robert, Brendan, Maggie & Sean.

Then Teresa Pitzer flagged me down, she'd managed to convince her grandson Christopher to pose for me for an upcoming Market ad. He's also spent plenty of Saturdays at Market, helping out at grandma's booth, and was willing to be spokesmodel. He'll be in the Weekly next week!

I do love our great big family, let's see what fun we have together this Saturday...

Saturday Market #17: Tour de Tie Dye

2009-07-31T17:48:00.000-07:00

Somehow I'd never chosen a tie dye booth to be Beautiful Booth of the Month until last week. It's our native dress and our signature craft, so how did that happen? I picked Maggie & Robert Duncan, of Maggie's Farm. This got me thinking, how about a brief tour of the tie dye at Market so folks can see that it doesn't all look like a rainbow swirl on a t-shirt. Every artisan has their own palette of colors, style of tying, and type of blanks that they work with. I took a quick trip around the Market and shot pictures of all the tie dyers I could find:

Maggie & Robert Duncan use intense bright colors that leave no white showing, except for on some of their crinkly patterns.

Richard Wiget tends to use just two colors, a brighter and a darker one, in each garment.

Dotti Smith is famous for her pinks and purples, and folds that make mandalas.

Patti White makes big, dramatic patterns offset by blocks of plain color. She makes beautiful sun dresses as well as t-shirts.

Bob Leonardis does make the classic rainbow swirly shirts.

Owen VanHooser makes incredibly intricate colorful tie dyes in a technique that he calls "Shibui."

Levana Appletree tends to use her whole palette in each piece, and dyes a wide variety of things including undies, hats, and shoe laces.

There you have it, a brief Saturday Market tie dye primer!

And before you give up on reading blogs for the day, be sure and pop over to Taryn's "Wooly Moss Roots" blog for a really sweet story about Market vendors getting inspired by each other...

Saturday Market #16: Captured Moments

2009-07-24T15:43:00.000-07:00

Saturday was full of little quintessential Market moments for me, here are a few I managed to catch with my camera:

This lovely gentleman comes to Market nearly every week and dances in front of the stage, usually by himself. Last Saturday, this lovely fairy appeared and danced with him. They were having such a fun time together...

This is Mark Ross, leaning up against a tree, fiddling with his case out as folks walked by in the heat. Musicians and markets just go so well together...

A glimpse of life on the south east corner of the West Park Block. The backs of musicians under the tree, a family on a blanket in the shade, Chris standing ready for customers, Alley whizzing by on her way to someplace...

Sue Theolass and the hemp bags she makes so lovingly and perfect. That smile on her face? That's the essence of my friend Sue shining through...

And these snapshots? Just a glimpse of the essence of the Market.

Saturday Market #15: The Umbrella Premonition

2009-07-17T15:09:00.000-07:00

I was looking at my photos from Saturday for blog inspiration. I noticed that I was fascinated by umbrellas.

The next day, we all needed umbrellas big time, but for torrential rain, rather than sun. Was it a premonition? Who knows, I'm just glad the sunshine is back! A cooler day and a nice breeze seem to be in store for tomorrow. Wonder what will fascinate me...

Saturday Market #14: OMG, OCF...

2009-07-08T15:32:00.000-07:00

Here it comes, friends and neighbors, our beloved Oregon Country Fair. Whatever your personal thoughts, feelings, or experiences of the Fair are, it's undeniably woven deeply into the fabric of our community, the Market in particular. We can feel it getting close around the Market. There's excitement when people get accepted to sell, and the tales of the scramble to find a booth spot. Folks take a couple of weeks off Market to make stuff. We get lots of phone calls and walk-ins at the office with assorted Fair questions (we answer those we can, and send the rest on to the real Fair office). Our meeting schedule gets a lot lighter for a month or so.

And then, one week out, we see this on the Park Blocks:

Jonny Hahn and his piano appear suddenly on the lawn!

And then this:

Girls on stilts wander up! I'm not sure they really have anything to do with the Country Fair, but it does seem like perfect timing.

And then we look forward to a very nice, mellow Saturday with plenty of craftspeople and a full day of great music and lots of visitors. Turns out there are always plenty of people to go around! Looks like the weather will be just about perfect for all Fair and Market goers, so have a sweet weekend, whatever you do!

Saturday Market #13: Got Brains?

2009-07-03T15:29:00.000-07:00

Why yes, we do have brains! Just when I think I've seen it all, and I'm in a blazing hurry to go take some photos for the web site, this catches my eye:

They are made by potter Alex Lanham, also the individual responsible for bringing tie dyed toilet paper into the world. What a finely crafted sense of humor he has! It certainly did make my day, and I sure could use a spare one just about any day of the week.

I was on my way to talk to Catherine Omundson, winner of this month's Beautiful Booth of the Month award. She started Market last year with fabric bead necklaces and boxes. This year she came to the office in the month before Market started to show us her new work, fabric collages with watercolor painting, of sprightly figures in fantastic landscapes.

She was so excited, and I think a bit hesitant to put her art out for all to see. I bet most Market folks, and artists of all kinds, feel that way when something is new. She'd been drawing these figures for thirty years or so, and suddenly they had combined with all the colorful fabric scraps into an exciting new form that was ready to make its debut. This is one of my favorite things about Market - that artists discover new voices to tell their stories with, and then feel supported enough to put the stories out for everybody to see and listen to and react to. It's brave to expose yourself to feedback and opinion, and I admire every artisan, musician and chef on the Blocks for taking that risk every week.

On a completely different note, let me answer the question of the week for you: Yes, Market is open on the 4th of July, and on Country Fair Saturday.

See you there!

For the Love of Markets!

2009-06-25T14:59:00.000-07:00

Sorry it's been quiet over here at Ye Olde Market Blog of late, but here I am to catch up a bit. I was gone for 10 days on a trip to London, England, to see my husband win an Ashden Award for Sustainable Energy for his work with Aprovecho Research Center on fuel efficient stoves. An exciting reason to go on a trip, with the wonderful side effect of going one of my favorite places on earth, which just happens to be filled with fabulous markets!

But before I left for London, I had a sweet Market Moment at the end of the day on June 6. I was grabbing last minute food and a nice gentleman came up and asked me if I was "the lady that takes the pictures and posts them on the internet." "That's me!" I said. He asked if I would come and take a picture of him and his family. "Of course!" I said. He - Jim - and his wife - Kelly - proceeded to tell me about how they came all the way from Colorado with their kids just to visit the Market! He's in the Air Force, and moves around a lot, and they have been trying to figure out where to land eventually. They'd come across Eugene in their research, and the Market, and fell in love, via the internet, with the place. They read my blog (hi Kelly!), they look at the photos, and chatting with them I could tell it already felt a bit like home as soon as they arrived. Kelly's even familiar with many of the crafters who sell on Etsy. What an exciting way to end a Market day! I left feeling all happy and ready to set out on my own market loving adventure. Here's that photo I took, Jim and Kelly and their kids at their first ever Saturday Market. I know they'll be back some day.

So fast forward a few days and I was in London, trekking all over the place, hitting the museums and stores, and of course the markets. This one is the Borough Market, made recently familiar to many as the groovy place where Jamie Oliver shops for great ingredients for his various TV cooking shows. It is indeed a beautiful market, full of fresh and prepared foods, just like our neighbors over at Farmers' Market, but with a glorious lofty cast iron and glass roof built in the 1880s. Of course it was packed, even in the middle of a week day, and I happily sampled Turkish Delight and Creme Caramel and had a fresh squeezed beetroot, carrot, apple and ginger juice at a place that would easily be quite popular here.

Oh, for a roof like this over our Farmers' Market!! I bet folks would appreciate Lane County pricing, though.

Covent Garden is another famous market, like our market in that everything, at least in the main market, appears to be handcrafted, and there are buskers and musicians everywhere! And another beautiful roof. In this Market, crafters peacefully co-exist (presumably) with fashionable boutiques in the buildings between the airy roofed market halls.

My favorite, though, was the Camden Market, or really, the many Camden markets and all the Eugene-style boutique-y shops all over. There were classic European style clothing markets, where everything is jammed together in a warren of never ending clothing racks. Claustrophobic for some, treasure hunt for others!

Camden Locks Market was beautiful. A year ago in January there was a fire there, which destroyed the infrastructure that had been building since the late 70s when the Market started. So to rebuild, they chose to provide these 10x10 prefab garden sheds in long rows. All of them have electricity, and they seem to be rented by specific folks - no nomadic vendors. It was really sweet and orderly, yet had plenty of the individuality that we expect from a great market. It was still early when I was there, so not bustling too much yet.

It sits right along the Regent's Canal, in a neighborhood that feels very much like 13th St at the U of O. We sat in a little natural foods cafe along the canal and drank Yogi tea - from Eugene - and felt right at home. I like to think it's all those Markets that make the neighborhood so Eugene-like and comfy!

Then it was time to come home to my own market. There is no place like home, it turns out. With a renewed perspective on the place, I can see how Kelly and Jim felt drawn to it, and how we have a perfect market right in our own back yard! Each market seems to distill the essence of the place that it's located, and give essential character as well. We are all lucky to have markets in our midst!

Our 40th Communi-Versary

2009-06-04T17:20:00.000-07:00

This picture sums it all up nicely, look at the joy there in that group of people! Our 40th Communi-Versary was a delightful day. We celebrated the tenacious, dedicated, visionary influence of five organizations that have helped to shape the peoplescape and personality of Eugene with music, food, and talking to each other, dancing and just hanging out together. Chuck from White Bird started the whole idea, inviting us, Country Fair, Growers Market and the WOW Hall to co-celebrate.

Calyn from the WOW Hall and Ashley from White Bird were major co-planners, along with Lilly and Jaci from Growers and Norma from the Fair.

All the musicians donated their talent to the party! Thanks to
Walker T Ryan

Kudana

Opal Creek

Uncle Stumbles

and Samba Ja! Somehow Samba Ja managed to surprise even me, by somehow causing giant puppets to appear. Now that was magic!!

I had a great time planning and getting to know folks from all these groups. I know that these groups are intertwined with many members and friends in common, but we don't get to work together very often. I really appreciate the chance to collaborate and hope we figure out a reason to do it more often!

Saturday Market #8: Before and After and Inbetween

2009-05-28T14:31:00.000-07:00

Yes, last Saturday was so lovely that it deserves two posts! Perfect weather, perfect crowd, perfect all around!

First, a "before" pic that I didn't use on Saturday morning, of the East Lawn looking lush and empty.

Here it is a few hours later, lush and full of lunching market-goers.

Meanwhile, over at the stage, Calango filled the place with the perfect happy Brazilian music for a sunny afternoon, and got the crowd dancing.

More perfect sunny afternoon music was provided by Ras Gabriel - sweet mellow reggae kept us all chill and groovy-like until the end of the day.

While they were playing, I cruised the row of 4x4 booths, looking for new goodies. I love it when something makes me screech to a halt and excitedly start thinking of all the people I should give a treat to. These sweet porcelain fortune cookies will be just perfect for several somebodies I know! They are made by Amanda Ryznar, and are but a tiny part of her amazing artistry. I'll post pics of her gorgeous porcelain wares on the New Product page next week, but come and see for yourself. It's always better in person!

Saturday Market #8: An Early Start

2009-05-23T09:07:00.000-07:00

Apparently, this past week was on fast forward! Saturday morning, and still no blog! Despite my best intentions, at the end of a long week I decided to go home last night and get a quick word in before Market today. So as I was dropping off my son to wait for his booth space, I hopped out of the car and grabbed a couple of quick shots of what most folks don't get to see, Market as it's waking up, stretching, grabbing it's coffee and getting dressed for the day:

Folks hanging out at the Info Booth, waiting for morning call to commence.

Looking into the food court.

And down along the East Lawn.

Another glimpse at a soon-to-be-crowded food court.

And on the way back to the office, a shot I've been meaning to grab all month - Storyteller meets StoryCorps.

Now, on to another beautiful Market day!

Saturday Market #6: Let's Party!

2009-05-15T16:43:00.000-07:00

Saturday was gorgeous, perfect, beautiful, jam packed and fun. Market folks donated tons of stuff for me to give away - at least 80 goodies of all kinds. So much I had a hard time getting it all distributed! Lots happened, but nothing I can single out to blog about, so here's what's been making my last couple of weeks blur by:

I've been working with folks from White Bird (the instigators), Country Fair, Growers Market and the WOW Hall on organizing a big free party, since we're all at or approaching 40 years old. I love collaborating with other Eugenie-style places, like my fellow Unique Eugenians, so this is right up my alley. It's so good to get to know folks from these other great Eugene institutions. There is a lot of overlap in all our memberships, and many of us have at least passing acquaintance, so it's good to go a bit deeper. We've bonded nicely over plans for music, composting, portable toilets, volunteers, and all the other details that go into an event.

This week I cooked up this poster, accessing my former-11-year-old sixties child self. It's way quicker in Photoshop than it was in art class with colored pencils! We've also got a great lineup of local music groups, including Walker T/Papa Soul, Kudana, Uncle Stumbles, and Samba Ja. I think I've got a bluegrass band for the last spot I needed to fill. We'll have some Market food booths for those who want to buy a snack, face painters and balloon clowns for the kiddies, and mostly a nice day to hang out together when we're not all hard at work saving the world and generally doing good in our own alternative ways.

So put it on your calendars, Sunday, May 31, and come and celebrate 5 of the best things to come out of the late '60s!

Saturday Market #5: Rain or Shine

2009-05-07T15:19:00.000-07:00

After an unusual and extremely appreciated run of sunny April Saturdays, that rainy Saturday we are always hoping to avoid turned up. Ma Nature was kindly, though and let us ease into it a bit with a sunny morning and a couple of hours of drizzle. But when it hit, it hit hard! With gusts of wind that sent some booths flying, and buckets of rain. Thankfully, that part only lasted about half an hour. One of my favorite Market moments, or maybe it's an Oregon moment, is when the cloudburst starts suddenly in earnest, everybody there goes "Wheeeeee!" and cheers!

Carrie Jahde and Michael Schaller, a.k.a. Planet Loop were brave and stuck it out through the whole rainy adventure, providing a lovely electro-jazzy spacious soundtrack for the experience.

I-chele and the Circle of Light followed for the last set of the day with a nice Reggae set. Seems Ma Nature was pleased with that vibe, as it was sunny from their first notes until near the end of their set. The rain kindly waited until the last note was played, then set back in. It happens surprisingly often, that the weather holds until the Market is just over. Of course we like it better if we can have a dry hour for taking the Market apart, but we'll take dry business hours if that's what we can have.

During that last sunny hour I had a chance to go out and find a mom and her kids to photograph for my Mothers Day ad. Happily, it didn't take long to find Sandra Evans and her daughter Mahlia and brand new baby son Devin. They were happy to smile for the camera:

Saturday is the Market's 39th birthday, and the day before Mothers Day, so we always give away treats that Market folks have donated. I've got a nice pile of stuff that will be added to throughout the day, so stop by and enter one of the hourly prize drawings. It's free and simple and you get to pick your treat from a selection of goodies. See you there!

Saturday Market #4: What's New!

2009-04-30T17:37:00.000-07:00

Once a month I do a major updating of the Market's website. One of my favorite quests each month is to find what's new for the New Products page. I always find cool stuff I'm surprised by, and this season the stuff is cooler than ever. More innovative, more interesting, more "wow, I want that!" Economic downturns naturally bring out a bumper crop of new Marketeers, and this worse-than-usual one is bringing out better-than-usual creations, from new folks and from seasoned artisans. Everybody is trying harder, and it shows! I find it to be really exciting, actually! Here are four highlights, there are more on the New Products page.

I regret that I was in a huge rush and didn't have time to buy some of these "Celtic Sea Salts" with yummy seasonings from Bridgett McBride. I did have time to take a whiff of each and imagine how delicious they would - er, will - be when I can go back and buy a jar! or two, or three... and what a perfect foodie gift.

Craig Butler has been a member for a few years, but was happy to point out this clever new product for recycling newspaper into little pots for plant starts. All you new "victory garden"ers out there, take note!

Karl Benedek and I have been Twittering at each other and on Market days for a few weeks, and I finally met him last Saturday in person. I knew he made these Pysanky - Ukrainian style dyed eggs - but I had no idea how amazing, detailed and beautiful they are. Wow!

Louise Prevost is another Market co-Twitterer. As a former movie theater projectionist, I think a pair of these film earrings are in my near future...

So, fellow Market-goers, this is an excellent time to get out there and dig deep into the panoply of Market offerings. You'll find something amazing. Guaranteed.

Saturday Market #3: Connecting the Dots

2009-04-23T14:37:00.000-07:00

I frequently joke about how this is the smallest town in the universe. Doesn't it seem that when you meet someone it only takes five minutes of casual conversation to find out the six different ways you could already know them? Friends, relatives, houses you lived in, exes and jobs where paths have already crossed? It seems like everybody knows everybody, a game of Cosmic Connect The Dots. In the local musician community, everybody DOES know everybody, and in my eighteen years of working with them I've noticed that they really do play well together. In both senses of the word.

Saturday was a fine example. I'd booked, in my somewhat random, leave it up to the universe kind of way, a nice flow of bands, not really thinking who would be playing with whom. I don't generally know for sure anyway. So Queen Accordionna and her Creatures of Havoc show up at noon, with five players rather than the three I'd expected. No problem. Kenny Sokolof is on drums. The band plays on, the set wraps up, everybody packs up except Kenny who is playing the next set with Jeremy Wegner.

Jeremy has recruited eight musicians to play with him at various points in his set. One of them is Tim Heaton on bass. The band plays on, the set wraps up, everybody packs up except Tim who is playing the next set with Brian Cutean. And then Sean Shanahan who also played banjo with Jeremy sits in on a couple of tunes with Brian and Tim. The band plays on, the set wraps up, everybody packs up and gets out of the way of the Radar Angels and their seven foot tall Jell-O Zone set... Thus ends Saturday's game of Connect The Dots.

Every week I look out in the audience and see musicians watching each others sets, supporting and encouraging each other and singing along. Folks who aren't even on the schedule for the day. Just like I look around the Market and see artists visiting with each other, buying each others work, supporting and encouraging. Even folks who aren't selling that day.

Connect The Dots can sometimes make the place feel a little claustrophobic, it's true. But mostly it makes for a strong web of support and encouragement and creativity for us all.

See you Saturday!

Saturday Market #2: Saturday Styles

2009-04-16T15:06:00.000-07:00

Saturday Market is known far and wide as an excellent place for people watching. In Saturday's Register Guard we won the "Best People Watching" Category in the Readers' Choice Awards. Of course I have a theory. Eugene is a dressed-down town. Jeans and Keens is about as far as most of us are willing to go most days of the week. Even a trip to the Symphony only causes most folk to add a button-up shirt or nice scarf to the ensemble.

But something about Saturday Market causes folks to kick it up a notch. Or at least out a notch! Maybe because it feels like a gathering of the tribes, folks are willing to go native and fly their tribal colors. To self-identify as Someone Else. And this is one of the things I love about the Market. Folks feel free, encouraged even, to pull out the stops on the old wardrobe, and come out to see and be seen. A nice spring day helps of course, and this past Saturday was no exception.

These two were a fascinating blend of formal and casual.

Blacita at Blackberry Blossom Crafts was happy to point out that Ken is now sporting some stylish Birkenstocks (guess maybe they are truly Fakenstocks...) but he looks cool and casual there with this hippy girlfriend Barbie on the rustic bench.

Balloon hats are festive headgear of choice for many happy Market kids, even the grown up ones.

And then there's Frog, always a Eugene style icon.

There were also lots and lots of gorgeous tattoos all over the place, thanks to the Oregon Ink tattoo convention being in town. Sadly, I never had my camera in hand at the right moment...

What will you wear this week? Which tribe will you represent? See you there!

Saturday Market #1: Opening Day meets the REAL Opening Day!

2009-04-09T14:20:00.000-07:00

Every first Saturday in April we have Opening Day, and then later on when it's actually a beautiful Spring day we have the REAL Opening Day. Rarely, the beautiful Spring day happens on Opening Day, and that's certainly what happened this time! I looked back in my records, and the last time it was a perfect, sunny day on Opening Day was in 2004. So we were due. And boy howdy did we get a REAL Opening Day! So many people all day long! Better yet, so many smiling, blissed out, happy to be there people all day long! What a delicious vibe filled the whole place.

Accordions Anonymous were a part of the fun, along with the Eugene Highlanders and their bagpipes, drums and dancers, and not one, but two marimba bands, Zambuko and Hokoyo. Where else can you find accordions and bagpipes being thoroughly enjoyed in the same place rather than causing a riot?

It was the double joy of warm spring sunshine to bask in and a place to bask along with friends and music and food and cool stuff to buy that made it such a popular place to be.

These girls were not the only people jumping up and down and dancing wildly, the whole place was alive with happy activity.

There were even fun Opening Day gifts, like the fabulous red jello fish from Jello Art Show co-conspirator Diane McWhorter and the bird whistle from someone else, maybe because I'm now Twittering all day long from the Market! If you'd like to follow along, or just have a look to see what it's all about, our Market twitter page is at twitter.com/saturdaymarket. If you're a twitterer and you're on the Park Blocks on a Saturday, give a tweet! I've been using the keyword #satmarket in my tweets, if you do too, we can co-create a fun Market day story one tweet at a time! A couple of folks did that last week, you can see the results here: http://search.twitter.com/search?q=%23satmarket.

Looks like the weather may be a bit grayer this week, but we'll still have a great Market day anyway. See you there!

A Sure Sign of Spring

2009-03-20T17:19:00.000-07:00

Here's a sure sign of spring, Marketeers stopping by the office to "show & tell" their new products they've been coming up with over the winter. It's always fun to get a preview of the shape of stuff to come. Daniel Conan Young, of Barbarian Pottery, stopped by today to show us this sweet Saturday Market Hippy Bus tile. We all ooohed and aaahed and wanted! Catherine Omundson also showed us some very cool watercolor painting/illustrations that include fabric collage. No photos, so you'll just have to have a look on the Park Blocks. Guess it's only a couple of weeks to wait. We're all getting anxious!

Saturday Market is Alive and Well!

2009-03-06T14:50:00.000-08:00

It's time for folks to renew their Market memberships and reserve spaces, and so for the past week there's been a steady stream of familiar faces in and out the office door. Today I was chatting with Jimmy Manigrossi about Market and winter and pet tags and donuts - his wife Karen Nunnley is the highly blessed Holy Donut lady - and this sweet old poster in our lobby kept grabbing my eyeballs.

It's from November of 1971, illustrated (obviously to Eugene old timers) by Paul Ollswang. Saturday Market is alive and well - and nearly 40 years later, yes we are! All those downtown businesses who were dead set against the success of the Market, or even against the possibility of the Market, where are they? Mmmm, mostly not so alive or well sadly. I credit our collective tenacity, flexibility, creativity and dedication to the proposition that all artisans are created equal. There's a little motto in latin, on the left circling around the lightning bolt. It translates, more or less, as "Let it be sustained, though the heavens fall." Or, in the parlance of the era in which we were founded, "Let's keep on truckin' no matter what." Right on!

The perfect illustration of "alive and well" comes from that conversation with Jimmy, as he told me that the donut biz is going so well that they plan to expand their bakery into a cafe on Willamette in downtown. Another Market business taking wing and growing! That's exciting news in uncertain times. Mira Fannin of Sweet Skins just opened a clothing store on Blair St. as well.

Another illustration, the Market had a successful season last year and we've been able to upgrade my computer into something that can handle what I ask it to do, without having to think about it. And think about it. And think some more, and then start to do it. Yay! More time to blog, flickr, facebook and even twitter along with all the other stuff I do. Of course it's an iMac and of course I love it!

So thanks to all of you, customers and artisans alike, for keeping this sweet old Market alive and well!!

Back to Work Project #1: Facebook!

2009-02-18T15:28:00.000-08:00

Yes, all you Facebook Folks, there is now and official Eugene Saturday Market page on Facebook! It's here: www.facebook.com/pages/Eugene-OR/Eugene-Saturday-Market/54779016639?ref=ts

Judging from the number of Facebook invites in my email box over the past two months, I figured I must be the last middle-aged woman in America to be out of the Facebook loop. I was thinking that was just fine, being an outsider, a loner, an interwebs hermit. Heck, I've got email and a cell phone, isn't that enough? too much even some days? Granted I was on vacation when most of this thought process was occurring, so I wasn't really thinking about promoting the Market on a daily basis.

So I got back to work and did start thinking about it, especially about freebie ways I can promote the Market, and still the Facebook invites came in, and still I ignored them. And then a call from a friendly Market member. Why isn't the Market on Facebook? Um, well, er, I guess I was thinking Facebook was more of a person to person friend-y kinda social thing I don't have time for... And then an Etsy newsletter about Facebook Etsy widgets to promote Etsy stores. And then the lightbulb lit up over my head. I am a solid member of one of Market's core demographics (middle aged women with some discretionary income, dedication to all things local, appreciation of fine products served up with excellent person to person customer service). All my friends are suddenly inviting me to join a social network that is compelling and interesting in some big way. Duh! Oh! Super duh! Get on board!!

Moments later I had signed up, set up my profile, started finding friends, being found by friends, and reading all the help files like I do, trying to figure it all out. I'd had no idea that businesses had Facebook presences, or what they were like. Now I know, now we've got one, and now I'm amazed at how giddy I am that there are already 14 fans in 24 hours! Yes, compelling, interesting, fascinating really.

So come on, Facebook Folk, be our fan. I'll keep you right on up to date about Market doings and entertainment schedules and stuff. Especially after I get through all the help files and figure it all out. Got any suggestions, experts? Let me know...