Pioneer Square in Seattle is mostly known for it’s historic buildings and rocking nightlife. Over the past few weeks though, these have taken a backseat to thoughts of Seattle Square, Seattle’s newest outdoor market. Held every Saturday from 11am – 5pm through the end of September, this market is the best place to see the newest in local artistry, hand made goods, and vintage finds.
This market has a vibe like no other and it is immediately noticeable upon arrival. In fact, chances are that before you even get there you will hear the music from one of the different DJs that come down every week to spin records. This adds a nice musical soundtrack to your shopping experience and is actually one of my favorite aspects of the market. The simple act of having music playing really brings everything together, keeps everyone in high spirits, and gives the event a real block party kind of feel.
As you survey the vendor booths trying to decide where to start, you will undoubtedly be pulled to the great scents emanating from the various mobile food carts that line the east side of the square. From fresh baked goods to various ethnic and regional cuisines, you’re sure to find something to snack on while you shop. This last week we enjoyed authentic Chinese dumplings, delicious New Orleans style beignets, and a made to order ice cream cookie sandwich. Yes, all at the same time. And, yes, it was magical; just ask our two year old.
As you make your way through the vendor booths you’ll notice the selection here is just as eclectic a mix as the food. A cross between a crafts fair and a flea market with a decidedly urban flair, the Seattle Square Saturday Market is quite possibly our new favorite place to shop. We have found some of the coolest screen printed designs from our friend, Chad, at Snipe Habitat, beautiful jewelry from a variety of vendors, and some seriously awesome children’s wear from Ricicli and Funnel Cake Boutique for our two-year-old and our baby-to-be.
In fact, the past few weeks we have scored three recycled (er, upcycled) designs for our children that were all reasonably priced, as well as some really unique toys like crocheted toy veggies and cupcakes and a paper parasol that our daughter is absolutely in love with. Naturally, we have done a bit of shopping for ourselves as well, and have brought home some handmade cards, a vintage camera pouch, a super cozy shirt, and a knit cashmere hat.
You should note that Seattle Square is about more than shopping – it’s about spending the day enjoying a family-friendly atmosphere full of activities for everyone. When you (or your child) get tired of shopping, there is still plenty to do in the square. Other activities include two tournament sized bocce ball courts, an over-sized chess board, a giant tub of Lego’s, sidewalk chalk, rotating art displays, and of course, dancing to the music.
If you are looking for more, you can simply check in with any of the awesome Seattle Square coordinators who are onsite during the event. You will find them walking around the market, chatting with exhibitors and helping guests, or at the information booth wearing the official Seattle Square t-shirt. I strongly feel that it is because of the event coordinators that make Seattle Square so unique. I love having someone there to ask questions of (“where is this booth?”… “where can I find?”…) and someone there to make sure the event runs smoothly. As someone who hops from market to market on the weekends, I am extremely impressed with the higher level of organization of this market, something that means a great deal to me.
But, you should be warned that you just might be talked into heading into the Seattle Square Facebook Photo Booth where you can dress up and be photographed… and even win some prizes. Even my wife at 9 months pregnant agreed to take part since this activity is one of my daughter’s favorites and we had to admit it was pretty fun once we were all dressed up.
If you live in Seattle and haven’t had a chance to check out Seattle Square, you should definitely head down this next weekend and do some shopping, eating and playing. And once you’re done with all that, you can explore the surrounding neighborhood with all its great shops and some of the oldest buildings in Seattle.
http://www.theseattlesquare.com/ to find out more about the market and the vendors. You can also follow them on Twitter and Facebook to keep up to date on all the Seattle Square happenings.
A big thank you to the Seattle Square coordinators who invited us to the market for a blogger tour and introduced us to numerous awesome vendors. We had a blast meeting everyone, and even more fun shopping afterwards with a $20 gift card. All opinions are 100% ours and were not influenced by any sort of monetary compensation but instead by their wonderful hospitality.
