The third Saturday of the 2010 Maple Valley Farmers Market, July 3, will celebrate both the nation’s independence and the region’s produce. The market opens at 9 a.m. for shoppers, but will honor the July Fourth holiday as Maple Valley Boy Scouts’ Troop 711 Star Wolves Patrol posts the colors and leads a flag salute at 10 a.m.
To further mark the holiday, there will be a patriotic hat contest at 10:10 a.m. Market visitors should create a patriotic hat suitable for Independence Day. Winners will be determined by audience applause, and first, second and third place winners will receive a prize in both the adult and children division.
In addition, an old-fashioned watermelon-eating contest will take place at noon. Participants can register for the contest right up to the time it begins. The speediest eater will walk away with a market bag, the second-place winner will receive $5 in market bucks and the third will receive a fruit pie.
The Enumclaw master gardeners will be present to answer gardening queries, and Farmers Market sponsor Wilderness Animal Hospital, second-season sponsor, will also host an educational booth.
Special entertainment for independence weekend will be provided by Ron Porzio on guitar, www.porziotunes.com, beginning at 11 a.m. Porzio has been playing since the 1960s, and in the 1970s opened for Jesse Colin Young of the Youngbloods, Melissa Manchester and Jonathan Edwards in the Boston area. Porzio’s original music is considered folk rock, reminiscent of Jackson Browne, James Taylor and Van Morrison. Porzio, who performs in Connecticut and Colorado this summer, will have a recent CD available for sale at the market.
In addition to the Independence Day festivities, the Maple Valley Farmers Market will again offer an array of produce offerings, rainbow eggs, cheese, hot sauce, bread and kettle korn. Artisans’ wares will also be sold, along with prepared foods, flowers, lavender products, plants, organic More than 1,500 visitors on Opening Day attended the market this year, whose motto is the “Saturday morning place to be!”
The market is open from 9 a.m.-1 p.m. and is located at Rock Creek Elementary School, 25700 Maple Valley-Black Diamond Road S.E.. Maple Valley. Further information is available at the website, www.maplevalleyfarmersmarket.org.
Maple Valley Farmers’ Market posters created by Tahoma High student
A pair of Tahoma High students have been recognized for their poster design skills.
Beginning in 2009, Tahoma High teacher Jennifer Gosnell’s digital graphics class participated in a poster design contest. The posters promote and advertise the Maple Valley Farmers Market.
Poster designs were submitted to the Maple Valley Farmers Market board for judging
Last year senior Lindsey Lawrence’s poster was the board’s unanimous choice. This year, Lawrence’s drawing can be seen on the front of the Farmers Market bags sold at the Market.
Poster winner for the 2010 season was Madeline Minkema. Minkema’s design is on posters all over Maple Valley and features a large rooster on a white picket fence.
A Spanish version of the 2010 poster is also posted in several locations.
