Judie Mackie
The Wildlight Market Place, Fernandina Beach Market Place farmers market, and the Fernandina Beach Arts Market will be open Saturday from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., rain or shine, and we know where Santa Claus will be. If you've been looking to brag on your good behavior and whisper what you want this holiday season, Santa Claus will be at the Wildlight Market Place located at 123 Tinker Street, from 10 a.m. to noon. Bring your kids, your phone or camera, or even your well-behaved pets and enjoy a morning of fresh air and shopping. You don't want to miss musician Tommy Niemann, a bubble station, sidewalk chalk and cornhole for family fun, in addition to over 45 booths of great food like fresh produce, meats, baked breads, and sweet treats. There will be plenty of arts and craft tents, too, all full of many great gift ideas. You will find whimsical wooden holiday decor, hand poured candles, jewelry, leather, crochet cuties by Seaside Creations by Suz, and so much more. The Market Place has plenty of parking and is easy to find. Turn north at the traffic light just east of I-95, on State Road 200 and look for bubbles and the colorful tents.
The Fernandina Beach Arts Market is located adjacent to the farmers market on North Seventh Street in historic downtown. Between Centre and Alachua Streets, there will be over 40 booths in the farmers market and an additional 30 booths of arts and crafts set up behind Pineland Bank. Some of our area's finest artists such as Faith Elliott, Terry Murphy, and Al and Kathy Frisio will be at the market as well as The Collar Cottage, who sews dog collars, leashes, bandanas, bows, bag holders, tote bags, and more; The World is Your Oyster has local oyster shells repurposed, bleached and painted as napkin rings, picture frames, trinket dishes, and other amazing designs; and Lottie Dottie Art makes amazing greeting cards and wall art by stippling. This is an art technique created by the usage of dashes or dots. More dots give you darker shades of colors. When the skilled artist creates an image, it is done strictly by their application and the density of their strokes.
Fernandina is quickly closing in on the bicentennial celebration and their main Dining Down Centre event on new year's day, and this week we are featuring the potato. A staple in an 1825 trading post in Fernandina as well as in today's weekly farmers market on North Seventh Street. Rooted in the enduring role of community hubs, markets of yesterday and today are where people gather to exchange goods, share warmth, and celebrate the bounty of nature. And in these cooler months of autumn, the harvest season takes center stage. Potatoes are nutrient-rich and easy to store, making them invaluable for sustaining families through the winter. Often cooked in stews or roasted over open fires, this seasonal produce evokes the spirit of the past with a modern reflection of the same values. An inviting place in the community where people can enjoy fresh produce, baked goods, and seasonal specialties while supporting local farmers and artisans. In 1825, potatoes were relatively easy to grow. Now part of the larger potato belt of today, varieties include russet, red, white, and yellow. Potato farming has provided livelihoods for generations of farmers in Northeast Florida.
Saturday's market will also include Windy City eats, an authentic hot dog and sausage vendor specializing in Chicago style dogs. Ganas Pecans is back with their satsuma citrus which only grows sweeter with the recent snap of cooler temperatures, and Robert is back with Ever Blooming Gardens. His Oveida, Florida, nursery is home to beautiful landscaping and patio plants that are as healthy as they are hardy in our coastal climate.
Directly next door, the United Memorial Methodist Church will be holding their Methodist Church Alternative Market and Mission Fair with even more vendor displays. Our Brick and Mortar featured business is downtown Realtor, Katie Kujawa. Katie is dedicated to helping you through the process of making your real estate dreams come true! Grab you neighbor and pack up the car; Fernandina Beach and Wildlight's markets welcome your entire entourage, including the dog, for a morning spent in the fresh air where neighbors and local businesses blend harmoniously into the truest sense of community. For more information, all three markets can be found online and on your favorite social media channels.
Judie Mackie can be reached at Judie@PirateCommunications.com