The Kent Farmers Market will go on this summer despite the Kent Lions Club decision to no longer run it.
“While we’re in a transition period, rest assured—the market isn’t going away,” according to an April 11 email from a city of Kent spokesperson. “Living Well Kent will continue operations and looks forward to another great season this summer.”
The Kent Lions Club bowed out earlier this year.
“All the Kent Lions Club members voted to not work the market anymore and hand it back to the city of Kent,” said Susie Kiminki, of the Lions Club, in an April 13 email. “It was a difficult decision but we ran out of choices.”
Kiminki said the group couldn’t find enough volunteers to keep operating the market, which typically runs from mid-June to mid-September downtown along Second Avenue North between West Smith Street and West Gowe Street. It features food, produce and arts and crafts.
Kiminki said herself and Mary Petersen and many volunteers from the Lions Club produced the market in 2023 and 2024. Sue Madsen and Judy Brenden from the club ran the market for about 18 years prior.
“Mary and I ran out of volunteers, we ran out of Lions Club members that wanted to take on the long hours all spring and summer,” Kiminki said. “It was a lot of work. Our health deteriorated and we ran out of agreeable volunteers altogether.”
Last summer was the 50th year of the market. Kiminki said Kent Downtown Partnership and the city of Kent each ran it for a while.
“We appreciate and thank all of our vendors, shoppers, volunteers and supporters over the years,” the Lions Club posted on its website.
“The city would like to give a huge thank you to the Kent Lions for 50 incredible years of dedication to our community by hosting the Kent Farmers Market,” according to a city spokesperson. “Their hard work has helped bring fresh, local food and a vibrant gathering place to downtown Kent for decades.”
The Kent Reporter has reached out to Living Well Kent for comment but has not received a response. Living Well Kent will post updates about the Farmers Market on its website at livingwellkent.org, according to a city spokesperson. As of April 15, there is no update on the website. The group has run a farmers market on the East Hill and recently helped the Kent Lions Club run the main Farmers Market.
Talk to us
Please share your story tips by emailing editor@kentreporter.com.
To share your opinion for publication, submit a letter through our website https://www.kentreporter.com/submit-letter/. Include your name, address and daytime phone number. (We’ll only publish your name and hometown.) Please keep letters to 300 words or less.
