The Best of the Gorge
Hood River Saturday Market prepares for 14th Season
A whirlwind of color, flavors, music and activity, the open-air market is in a beautiful new location at 616 State Street in Hood River, one block west of the Hood River Library. Ample parking is available at the Hood River News parking lot. Electricity is available for vendors at no extra charge. Booth space costs are reasonable, with special rates available for produce sellers. The annual registration fee of $20.00 provides the market, a non-profit organization, much of its operating funds. A possible new venue this year is a weekday produce-only market. More and more growers are taking advantage of the market’s consignment booth, finding it a convenient way to sell their goods. Sixty miles east of Portland, Oregon, the market is close to many of the growing regions along the Columbia Gorge.
A stepped up advertising campaign is focusing on the Portland-Vancouver metro area. Hood River is only an hour away from Portland, and offers a huge variety of other activities and events to entice visitors to the area. Residents of the Hood River area regularly bring guests and visitors to the market as a “must-see” site.
Opening day this year is May 7th. The market is then held every Saturday, rain or shine, until the second weekend in October. Set-up for vendors begins at 7:00 am. Hours of business are 9:00 am to 3:00 pm. For more information, please contact Lee Lynn Thompson, Market Manager at HRSM@gorge.net, or voice mail box/phone (541)387-8349. Mailing address is Hood River Saturday Market, P.O. Box 1101, Hood River, OR 97031. Last but not least, check out the website: http://community.gorge.net/saturdaymarket/
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Chef2Chef News Desk