The Camas Farmers Market: Fresh Food in the Heart of Downtown
Every Wednesday of the growing season, the Camas Farmers Market fills downtown Camas with local produce, flowers, baked goods and live music. Organizers say it typically draws 1,500 to 3,000 people a week.
The Camas Farmers Market brings together farmers, bakers, florists, and cooks in downtown Camas every Wednesday afternoon during the growing season. Organizers say it typically draws 1,500 to 3,000 people a week.
A Wednesday ritual
Every Wednesday from 3 to 7 p.m., June through September, downtown Camas fills with seasonal produce, flowers, natural products, and hot prepared food. Shoppers can also catch chef demonstrations, gardening and healthy-living information, kids’ activities and live music from local players.
The market’s mission is broader than a place to buy tomatoes. It describes itself as an agriculturally based market that gives the community access to local, sustainable food, supports nearby farms and food producers, and teaches people to grow, cook and eat well. It also names vulnerable populations among the neighbors it hopes to reach.
The sponsors reflect that community focus. The Camas-Washougal Community Chest and IQ Credit Union are listed as grant and Produce Pals sponsors, with the City of Camas and the Downtown Camas Association among its partners.
Farmers, bakers and makers
Local and regional vendors sell produce, flowers, natural products, and hot prepared food. Camas’s Shady Grove Farms is among the regulars, and its owner, Steve Inzalaco, calls the market a valuable outlet for local farms and small businesses.
Why downtown cares
Market days are a weekly traffic engine for downtown. Market manager Leah Nichelson says those crowds add up to a meaningful economic boost for local businesses over the course of a season.
Neighboring shop owners, including those at Sweet Intention and Poppy and Hawk, say market crowds put their storefronts in front of people who might not otherwise stop in.
Stay connected
The market shares vendor profiles, music lineups, and kids’ activities through its newsletter, which you can sign up for at camasfarmersmarket.org. Questions go to [email protected] or 360-838-1032.
