Pike Place Market’s anniversary honors the farmers who started it all and have provided fresh goods for over 100 years

SEATTLE, WA – Pike Place Market is turning 117 years old, and in honor of this milestone, this month’s Produce on Pike event is celebrating with an Onion Festival. This special event pays tribute to the Market’s rich history and origin story, which began with a community of farmers and a significant spike in produce prices in the 1900s.

In the summer of 1907, Seattle saw produce prices soar, with onions skyrocketing from 10 cents to a dollar per pound. City Councilman Thomas Plummer Revelle discovered an 1896 ordinance allowing the city to designate land for public markets. On August 17, a damp and cloudy Saturday morning, Pike Place Market opened its doors to eager shoppers looking for fresh produce at fair prices. A handful of farmers sold all their goods within minutes, and by the end of the first week, dozens of wagons lined Pike Place to meet the demand. Today, Pike Place Market is home to over 500 small businesses, 450 low-income and senior residents, 160 handmade artists, 85 farmers, and 5 social services.

Farmers have always been the backbone of Pike Place Market. Their dedication and hard work have provided Seattle residents with the freshest local ingredients for over a century. Everything on their tables is grown locally in Washington, ensuring customers receive the highest quality produce. These farmers remain an essential part of the Market, maintaining the tradition of bringing farm-fresh goods directly to the community.

To commemorate this historic occasion, the Onion Festival will take place on August 14 as part of the Produce on Pike event series. This monthly event extends Pike Place Market’s vibrant atmosphere into the early evening, featuring the freshest local produce directly from our Market farmers.

Produce on Pike: Onion Festival

Date: August 14, 2024
Time: 3 PM – 7 PM
Location: Pike Place Market – on Pike Pl between Stewart St & Virginia St

Event Highlights:

Farmers:

Hot Food:

Special Shopping Offer
Spend $25 or more at any participating Produce on Pike vendor between 3 PM and 7 PM and receive a special Market anniversary gift bag. This includes a vintage Pike Place Market history book, a limited-edition commemorative poster by Market artist Juliann Choe, and a reusable Market grocery bag. With proof of purchase, claim your gift at the Event Information tent on Stewart St.

Pikesters Club Activities
Young visitors can join the Pikesters Club, make custom buttons, pick up a Market goodie bag, and collect punches for a prize raffle. This month’s event will also offer the locals’ favorite, Zucchini races. At the Zucchini 500 race, kids can build and race their vegetable cars.

Live Entertainment
From 4:30 PM to 6:30 PM, enjoy performances by Market buskers and live plein air painting by craftsperson Q Ma.

  • Andrew Maples: 4:30 PM South Tent, 5:30 PM North Stage
  • Chloe Payne: 4:30 PM North Stage, 5:30 PM South Tent
  • Q Ma: Live Plein Air Painting

Bonus! Register today for the Summer 2 PIKE BOX to receive the freshest locally grown ingredients weekly from Washington farmers. PIKE BOX Registration

Join us on August 14 to celebrate 117 years of Pike Place Market and honor the farmers who started it all. For more information, visit Produce on Pike. 

 

Pike Place Market Preservation and Development Authority PDA – Celebrating over 51 Years!
The nine-acre historic district is maintained and operated by the Pike Place Market Preservation and Development Authority (PDA), a nonprofit public corporation created by the City of Seattle in 1973. The PDA supports the Market’s remarkable community by increasing farm and food retailing opportunities, supporting small and marginal businesses, and providing services for low-income individuals. In addition, PDA helps protect the essence of the Market by preserving, rehabilitating and maintaining the buildings within the Market. PikePlaceMarket.org

###

For media inquiries

Madison Bristol
Marketing and Public Relations Manager
E: [email protected]
P: (206) 724-8142

Facebook Twitter