As temperatures are reaching above 100, it can be hard to motivate yourself, your family, your friends, or your partner to get up and head to an outdoor market for the day. But don’t fret! We’ve compiled a list of easy and free/cheap ways to keep you and your people cool while you shop for fresh, seasonal goods.
You may have felt tempted to ask produce or plant vendors to spray you with their produce misters. While these are used to keep produce fresh and prevent wilting during hot weather, many of these vendors use these spray bottles or hoses to cool themselves off. Consider asking them to direct some of that mist towards you! If asking vendors to spray you with one of their misters is out of your comfort zone, you can still cool off by standing, sitting, or dancing in front of our freestanding mister at the southeastern corner of the building at the Pavilion!
Craving something cold? Berg’s Berries brings a cart full of handmade fruitsicles (popsicles made with their very own fruit) to the market during warm weather. For $2.50 a pop, quite literally, you can satisfy your sweet tooth and cool your body down from the inside.
Many of our vendors also offer a variety of refreshing cold beverages. X Squeeze Me has a colorful selection of lemonades, handmade on site with local fruit. Delicias Tiki Tiki has several aguas frescas, including hibiscus, cucumber lime, and horchata. Horai Farm sells made-to-order cold coffees and teas, if you’re in need of caffeine as well as a cold drink. BNF Kombucha always has an assortment of tasty probiotic kombucha and jun on tap, served cold. The Vegan Farmer offers cold juices and smoothies made from local ingredients. Piro sells chicha morada, an iconic Peruvian purple corn drink. Merryheart has a few cold beverages, including fruity lemonades and cold apple ciders. The Wheel and Wildcraft have beer and cider on tap and by the bottle in our Beer Garden, but be careful to rehydrate yourself with plenty of water if you choose to partake.
Our drinking fountain and water bottle refilling station inside the Pavilion (next to the bathrooms) should be on your radar if you’re spending hours at a time at the market. Staying hydrated is key to keeping yourself cool during these hot summer days, so bring a refillable water bottle! Consider bringing a towel, rag, or bandana to the market with you, run it under some cool water, and keep it pressed against the back of your neck, inside of your wrist, or forehead to keep your body temperature low.
Need to shield your face or scalp from the sun? You can purchase a Lane County Farmers Market hat at the Information Booth to do just that, while showing your support for your local market and farmers.