Lakewood Farmers Market Draws Shoppers, Sun On Opening Day

If Lakewood builds it, they will come. And on Tuesday, they did.

Under a gray sky that the sun eventually snuck through, residents converged upon the plaza outside City Hall for the opening of the Lakewood Farmers Market. 

They bought slices of pie and bags of crisp green beans. Wood-carved items and giant bouquets of flowers. And, of course, shave ice glistening with guava, lemon-lime, and intriguingly, a flavoring called Tiger’s Blood. (It’s strawberry, watermelon and a hint of coconut.)

The pilot project will run from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Tuesdays through Aug. 28, but organizers and attendees alike hope to it will become a permanent fixture in Lakewood. There were present for opening day, and others will be there at other points in the season.

“We’re so excited that today’s here,” said Mary Dodsworth, director of Lakewood’s Parks and Recreation Department and the leader of the market project, who was carrying a voluminous bouquet of flowers and a snazzy green Lakewood Farmers Market bag. “Excited that the vendors are here, that people are stopping and shopping – they were here before we even opened – so it’s been a good start.”

City Councilman Jason Whalen felt similarly.

“It feels great to see things kind of take root and grow,” said Whalen, who purchased flowers, produce, dog treats and was one of the first customers at Breeto’s Shave Ice stand. “Hopefully, it’s more than just first-day excitement, but people within the community, as well as folks who work in the area, seeing it visibly here and getting excited about coming.”

Whalen, who was among the most vocal proponents of the project, said that he feels Lakewood has the ability to sustain a farmers market in the long term.

“As long as people come,” he said with conviction.

Dodsworth said she envisions an increased turnout on the vendor side, too, as time goes by.

“A lot of vendors are playing wait-and-see,” she said. “They want to see how good is the market before (they) decide to come to the market. But we’re so thankful for the ones who chose to come today, and so far, so good.”

And as they sat on a bench with shave ice, Virginia Jones and Dianne Sullivan, both of Lakewood, said they’re just thankful that Lakewood has its own market now.

“I like local produce,” Jones said. “I never get cherries as good at the supermarket.”

Both women said they would like to see more food options, as well as more craft booths.

“I think it’s great,” Sullivan said. “And I want it to grow as large as Puyallup’s."