We welcome the many visitors in town for the Lavender Festival this weekend to stop by The Sequim Open Aire Market while in Sequim. Located downtown on Cedar Street, the Open Aire Market is Sequim's weekly market and community gathering spot every Saturday from May through October.

The market features local farmers, artists, food producers and musicians. This weekend it will be open special hours in celebration of the Lavender Festival: 9 a.m.-6 p.m. on Saturday and 9 a.m.-4 p.m. on Sunday.

So what else is new at the market? Well ...

Berries of all kinds are finally in season and can be found at farmers' booths throughout the market. If you are lucky enough to be cooking a meal for yourself this weekend, a visit to the market will yield the very best produce currently available from local farms, including lettuce, broccoli, cabbage, mushrooms, carrots, onions and much more. Farm eggs and local cheese, fresh local shellfish and beautiful cut flower bouquets and live plants round out the selection of local agricultural products.

Market artists and artisans, all residents of the North Olympic Peninsula, bring the widest selection of locally-handcrafted goods available anywhere. Fine art, handmade clothing and fiber art, bath and body products, wood products, engraved items and even hand-made toys are available at the Open Aire Market.

Good food and locally-processed jam and syrup will be available all day long. Live music will be played from 9 a.m.-4 p.m. both days.



Mark Ozias is director of the Sequim Open Aire Market.