Downtown Walla Walla Farmers Market

Fast Facts

Market Overview

The Downtown Walla Walla Farmers Market opened in 1997 as part of the city’s extensive downtown rehabilitation effort. When Walla Walla launched its Local Improvement District process during the 1990s to revitalize the downtown core, city leaders identified a farmers market as a way to showcase the Walla Walla Valley’s agricultural bounty while attracting local shoppers back downtown. Original plans called for building a market structure on an abandoned lumber yard, but cost realities killed that proposal. Instead, the Downtown Walla Walla Foundation and City Council built an open-air market pavilion on a vacant block at Main and 4th Streets—a location now known as Crawford Park or Market Station.

Skeptics predicted failure. The market celebrated its 27th season in 2024, proving those naysayers wrong through sustained support from vendors, volunteers, staff, sponsors, and customers who kept showing up Saturday after Saturday. The market has weathered economic shifts, a pandemic that dropped 2020 sales to $200,000 from the previous year’s $620,366, and the natural challenges of maintaining a seasonal outdoor market in a small city. By 2022, gross sales had rebounded to $741,000—exceeding pre-pandemic numbers and demonstrating the market’s role as genuine economic infrastructure rather than seasonal tourist attraction.

The market operates outdoors May through October at its Main Street location, then moves indoors to the Showroom on Colville for November and December. This winter extension gives vendors year-round selling opportunities and keeps the market present in downtown life beyond the peak agricultural season. Many vendors have been selling at the market for over twenty years, creating multi-decade relationships with customers who return week after week.

Walla Walla Valley agriculture drives the vendor lineup—this is wine country that also produces exceptional asparagus, onions, tree fruit, vegetables, and wheat. The market reflects that agricultural diversity while also showcasing the valley’s food artisans, craftspeople, and prepared food vendors who source local ingredients. Market success stories include vendors who built customer bases at Saturday market stalls before transitioning to successful brick-and-mortar businesses, and local chefs who purchase ingredients here regularly for their restaurant menus.

What You’ll Find

Fresh produce dominates, especially during peak season when Walla Walla’s famous sweet onions, asparagus, cherries, peaches, apples, and vegetables fill vendor tables. Flatau Farm has been bringing tree-ripened fruit to the market since 2001, while other growers supply seasonal vegetables, herbs, garden plants, and cut flowers. The market rules require farm fresh products to be grown by the vendor—no reselling allowed.

Meat and dairy vendors include Thiessen Ranch selling Black Angus beef and value-added beef products, plus locally-made cheeses from Monteillet Fromagerie and Walla Walla Cheese Company. Eggs, poultry, mushrooms (Chesed Farms supplies microgreens and mushrooms), and honey round out the agricultural offerings. Octopus Garden Honey, operated by Paul and Susan Hosticka in Dayton, brings natural select floral source honey and hand-dipped candles.

Prepared food and baked goods vendors create ready-to-eat options: Fat Rolls serves cinnamon rolls that locals recommend grabbing on your way in, Stay A-round Donuts and Fry Pies supplies donuts, and Cakesplosionz Bakery specializes in custom cakes and cupcakes. Blue Mountain Coffee Company sells espresso drinks and specialty beverages, while Hummingbird Tea offers premium loose-leaf tea.

Artisan vendors include two candle companies (Walla Walla Candle Co. and Halcyon Candle Company using US-grown soy wax), That Skincare Co. with handcrafted products for sensitive skin, and Tikiz Wine Designs where Moises Soto creates custom wine barrel furniture. You’ll also find cutting boards, soaps, and other handcrafted items that function as both practical purchases and Walla Walla souvenirs.

The vendor base reflects Walla Walla’s diversity—Asian, Hispanic, Polynesian, and Russian products appear alongside traditional Pacific Northwest offerings, giving the market broader cultural reach than its small-city location might suggest. Market Manager Alex Heiser notes this diversity as one of the market’s strengths in serving the local community.

Live music plays every Saturday, adding ambiance while shoppers browse. Food trucks and prepared meal vendors provide lunch options, and the market’s pet-friendly policy means dogs accompany their owners through the stalls.

Planning Your Visit

Saturday morning timing means arriving early for best selection, though the 9am-1pm window gives flexibility. Peak crowds hit between 10am-noon when the weather’s nice. Downtown parking is free for up to two hours—plenty of time to shop the market and explore nearby downtown businesses. The Walla Walla Valley Transit Center sits adjacent to the market, making public transportation a viable option for locals.

The market operates rain or shine outdoors May through October. Walla Walla summers run hot and dry (think 90s in July and August), while May and October can be cool with occasional rain. Bring reusable bags for produce, cash if you’re buying from smaller vendors (though most accept cards), and an open mind about trying new foods or meeting farmers you’ve never talked with before.

SNAP/EBT shoppers can double their purchasing power through the SNAP Market Match program—benefits are matched dollar-for-dollar up to the program limit. WIC and market tokens are also accepted. These food access programs serve a significant portion of the customer base while supporting local farmers.

The indoor winter market (November-December) operates at Showroom on Colville, 70 North Colville Street, maintaining the same Saturday 9am-1pm schedule. Vendor count drops during winter months, but core produce, value-added products, and artisan vendors continue selling through the holiday season.

Pets are welcome but expect crowds, especially during peak summer weekends. The market can get tight on busy Saturdays when vendor booths line both sides of the street and shoppers fill the space between. If you’re bringing a dog, keep them close and be ready to navigate through people.

Walla Walla’s wine tourism brings visitors to the valley year-round. The farmers market fits naturally into wine country itineraries—Saturday morning market followed by afternoon tasting rooms is a common pattern. Multiple fresh flower vendors supply blooms perfect for brightening Airbnb or hotel rooms.

Final Word

The Downtown Walla Walla Farmers Market works because it stuck to its original 1997 purpose: connecting Walla Walla Valley farms and food producers directly with customers while anchoring downtown’s economic and social life. Twenty-seven years in, it’s infrastructure—vendors who’ve been showing up for decades, customers who build Saturday routines around market visits, and a downtown that depends on the foot traffic and community gathering the market creates every weekend.

Exploring More Washington Farmers Markets

The Washington State Farmers Market Directory features detailed guides to farmers markets across Washington, from the San Juan Islands to the Columbia River Gorge. Whether you’re seeking farm-fresh produce in your neighborhood, planning weekend market tours through different regions, or looking for markets that accept SNAP/WIC benefits, the directory helps you discover Washington’s diverse community of farmers, artisans, and local food producers.

Contact Information

Address: 106 W Main Street (between 3rd & 4th), Walla Walla, WA 99362
Winter Location: Showroom on Colville, 70 North Colville Street, Walla Walla, WA 99362
Phone: (509) 529-8755
Email: alex@downtownwallawalla.com (Alex Heiser, Market Manager)
Website: downtownww.com/farmers-market
Facebook: facebook.com/farmersmarketdowntown
Instagram: @downtownfarmersmarketww

Operated by: Downtown Walla Walla Foundation (nonprofit since 1997)