Resolution supports Port Townsend Farmers Market

Published 1:30 am Friday, May 8, 2026

PORT TOWNSEND — The city of Port Townsend passed a resolution of support for establishing permanent infrastructure for the Port Townsend Farmers Market.

Jefferson County Farmers Markets Executive Director Amanda Milholland outlined some of the market’s needs during a presentation given Monday to the Port Townsend City Council. Some of those needs include protection from weather, increased electrical capacity and more and improved restrooms.

While the big lift of the project would come from the farmers market — and it would be a farmers market and community-driven effort — Milholland said the city’s support would be crucial in exploring what can be done.

“When it comes to doing things that are untraditional in our publicly shared spaces, we have to have the city there saying, ‘This is how you do it. This is how these things are brought forward. This is how we navigate what’s allowed and not allowed in a way that gets to something that really works for our community’, ” Milholland said.

The farmers market has partnered with architects from StudioSTL to explore the possibilities.

Port Townsend Public Works Director Steve King sat in on a recent meeting with the architects during which he contributed to questions about how public spaces, like streets, could be used in nontraditional ways, Milholland said.

“This (partnership) is exciting,” King said. “This is implementation of our comp plan. This is doing what cities do best to help (agriculture).”

The farmers market was mentioned six times in the city’s recently passed comprehensive plan, according to city documents.

While some of the work could take place sooner, Milholland said she expects it will take several years of engaging the community and pursuing funding before the farmers market breaks ground on major upgrades.

The market is open to exploring other locations, but community and vendor surveys indicated a strong interest in keeping the market in Uptown. The current location is central, easily accessible by bus and has seen recent ADA improvements. For another location to be a strong contender, it also would need to meet those conditions, Milholland said.

The farmers market has been located on Tyler Street in Uptown Port Townsend for 23 years of its 34-year history, Milholland said.

“It’s been a really fantastic place for the market to grow,” she said. “We’ve grown in vendor number and shopper number.”

The market tends to have between 70 and 90 vendors each season, Milholland added.

“For our opening day, we counted 5,000 shoppers,” Milholland continued. “We are seeing numbers like that at peak days throughout the season, but we’re also seeing the impact that things like weather have on the market.”

A windy market day may bring the attendance down to about 500 to 700 shoppers. Windy markets also are stressful for vendors, she said.

“You’ll find us, if you’re looking around on a windy market day, with fully weighted tents and vendors holding their tents in place while providing public service,” Milholland said.

This year and last year, the market experienced insufficient electricity for its vendors. The market has turned away businesses that otherwise would have been good vendors, Milholland said.

“We don’t have a good place for them to plug in and make food,” she said.

The market rents restrooms from the Port Townsend Community Center. Four stalls serve the crowd generated by up to 90 vendors and 5,000 shoppers present, she continued.

To continue growing and thriving, the market’s infrastructure must grow as well, Milholland said.

Market leaders are exploring creative solutions that would allow them to continue using the public street. One such consideration is whether there could be covered parking on Tyler Street, Milholland said.

“Those are the kinds of questions that we can really explore with an active city engagement,” she said.

City Manager John Mauro and King have provided letters of support for infrastructure planning grants the market is pursuing, Milholland said. The market also is working with Jefferson County Commissioner Heather Dudley-Nollette and County Administrator Josh Peters and other partners, Milholland said.

Moving forward, the market will continue to engage with vendors, community partners and shoppers to see what is possible and what is wanted from an improved location, she said.

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Reporter Elijah Sussman can be reached by email at elijah.sussman@peninsuladailynews.com.