Sun and Warmth Draw Crowds to Year’s First Farmers Market

MOSCOW – Saturday’s first downtown farmers market of the season was a big success, the Moscow Farmers Market Commission was told at its regular meeting Tuesday.

Main Street was crowded with people enjoying the fine weather, said Amanda Argona, city community events manager and staff liaison to the commission. Some products sold out quickly, and 20 people participated in the Golden Guessing Game, which is new to the market this year.

There are 165 vendors on this year’s roster, she said, although the number of vendors not returning from last year was a concern. She said she planned to ask them why they vacated, in case there are problems to address.

Only a few shoppers were cautioned about bringing dogs into the market, Argona said. Most dogs were properly attired ADA helpers. There were a few traffic jams with vendors unloading products and cars unloading shoppers, but the issues were dealt with. 

Long lines, typically for food and drink, that block adjacent vendor spaces are an ongoing challenge – at the coffee stand in cool weather and at the lemonade stand in Saturday’s heat. Argona said she tries to address the problem by locating popular food and drink stands on corners and edges, so lines can wind away from neighboring vendors, but the commission might consider better line management solutions. 

Upcoming Farmers Market events include:

May 9, hosting the 2026 poster artist Cori Dantini at the market 9 a.m.-noon. 

June 6, piloting at-market juries for returning vendors who wish to add a new product. This is part of a 2026 evaluation and refinement of the craft and food jury process, which last occurred in 2019.

Aug. 8, National Farmers Market Week Celebration.

Aug. 13, Market Through the Years event, 5-8 p.m., hosted at and by the Chamber of Commerce and Visitor Center, 411 S. Main St. This is part of the celebration of 50 years of the Moscow Farmers Market.  

Oct. 31, Halloween costume contest, with awards presented at a November City Council meeting.

In addition, the commission will sponsor/participate in:

* Site visits to agricultural vendors in May, June, and in the fall.

* Rapid Market Assessments on July 25, Aug. 8 and Sept. 12. Previously done in 2011 and 2018, the RMAs include surveys, customer counts and study team observations at the market. Assessments are used by the city to gauge economic impact, shopper behavior, and vendor success. 

* Annual report to City Council, 7 p.m. on Sept. 12, in Council Chambers of City Hall. 

The next regularly scheduled meeting of the Farmers Market Commission will be June 2. The commission usually cancels the July meeting.