Fascinating facts about the Portland Saturday Market:
Founded in 1974, Portland Saturday Market located in Waterfront Park + Ankeny Park in Portland’s historic Old Town.
The Market is one of the most popular tourist attractions in the city of Portland, drawing an estimated 1 million people and annual sales of 10 million.
Portland Saturday Market is the largest weekly open-air crafts market in the United States.
Started with grant assistance from the Metropolitan Arts Commission, Portland Saturday Market has earned a national reputation for service to artists.
Portland Saturday Market is a juried market. Every item is submitted for review to a panel of members who assure that it meets the Market’s standards of quality and hand craftsmanship.
Everything at the Market is handcrafted by the vendors and is being sold by the person who made it. The Market offers a unique opportunity for customers to meet the artists and often to see pieces being made right in the booths.
The vendors who sell at the Market are individual small business owners from all over Oregon and Washington who participate in Market operations as members of the non-profit corporation.
On average, over a dozen new craftspeople join the Market each month during the season.
The Market has 258 regular spaces for craft and food booths each weekend. With almost 400 artists participating in the Market each season, there is a different mix of products here every weekend.
The Market is open every Saturday and Sunday from March through Christmas Eve. The Market is also open the entire week prior to Christmas for its annual “Festival of the Last Minute”.
The first Sunday of every month July – October the Portland Saturday Market offers free Kids Activities ranging from puppet shows, science fairs, juggling school, creative arts activities and much more.
The Portland Saturday Market’s hours are Saturday from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. and Sunday 11:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Admission is FREE.
PHOTO CREDIT: Jamie Francis/www.travelportland.com
