The 2009 season of the Redmond Saturday Market runs May 2-Oct. 31 from 9 a.m.-3 p.m. at 7730 Leary Way NE.

Screening for new Redmond Saturday Market members will take place from 9:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m. Saturday, April 4 at the Old Redmond Schoolhouse Community Center, 16600 NE 80th St. No appointments or reservations are required. Applicants should drop in with a sample of their work, along with photos of their display and their workspace.

Market president Jim Hoagland explained, “A selection committee of five to seven volunteers, each an active crafter in our market, looks over the samples and photos and talks with the applicant abut the work. Each member of the committee assigns a point score for the applicant, based on quality, design, workmanship, presentation and originality. This year we are not screening for specialty foods, bakery items, jewelry, bath and body products, photography or painters, as we are full in those categories.”

This screening process is only for new vendors. Once a vendor becomes a member of the Redmond Saturday Market, they’re “good to go” for a year, unless they decide to add a different type of product to their offerings, Hoagland noted.

Retaining membership only requires a vendor to participate in the market at least six times during the season. There are 84 available booths at the market, so membership is capped at 130 vendors.

“We’ve found that to be a good number to ensure a full market each week, while allowing each vendor to participate as often as they’d like,” said Hoagland. “Some of our produce vendors offer seasonal products and rotate their space with other vendors. Craft vendors also rotate between markets, so each week shoppers can find new items.”

All products at the Redmond Saturday Market must be freshly grown or handcrafted in Washington state.

“The fresh fruits and vegetables continue to be the big draw to the market,” Hoagland stated. “People love being able to select the best-looking produce while chatting with the growers.”

But an additional draw is the friendly, festive environment.

“Our customers stroll through the entire market, shopping for one-of-a-kind handcrafted items and perhaps finding the perfect gift for a friend,” he added. “Enjoying a delicious lunch from one of the food vendors while listening to a delightful musical performance is all part of the market experience.”

This year, there will be more entertainment than ever, with events scheduled every week. There will be Hula dance performances, special “Kids’ Days” for young people to sell their wares and a “Musical Instrument Petting Zoo,” a hands-on activity where kids of all ages can try out musical instruments. Hoagland’s also hoping to bring live radio broadcasts to the Redmond Saturday Market. Much of the entertainment budget comes from a sponsorship program, allowing local businesses to show support for the market and also increase awareness of their business.

Hoagland’s optimistic that today’s economic climate will have a positive impact on the market.

“It’s been a common misconception that prices at farmers’ markets are higher — premium prices for premium quality,” he said. “But shoppers are beginning to realize that farmers’ markets offer premium quality with even better prices than most grocery stores. Since transactions are direct from the farmer to the shopper, a bunch of middlemen and their costs are eliminated, making the farmer markets a very competitive option. In addition to this cost advantage, the products at farmers’ markets are local, a big concern for shoppers these days. Sustainability, community, freshness and price are all farmers’ markets advantages.”

For more information on the membership screening process, visit www.RedmondSaturdayMarket.org/NewVendorInfo.html.

To learn about sponsorship opportunities at the Redmond Saturday Market, visit www.RedmondSaturdayMarket.org/RSM_Sponsorship.pdf.