Skip's Open-Air European Farmers Market

Skip's Open-Air European Farmers Market opens for its second season on Saturday, May 15, kicking off the 23-weekend season of 2010. Visitors to the market this year can reconnect with their favorite vendors while also discovering some new ones every Saturday and Sunday through the second weekend in October. The line up of vendors for 2010 features a wide array of options for visitors, including Scarlett O'Cara, which will offer gluten-free and vegan specialty confections, natural-sugar body scrubs and salts and minerals from S.A.L.T., also known as Charmane's Gourmet Seasonings. Also new to the market this year is Oh Mamma's, which will offer gelato, Italian dry-cured salamis, olives and all-natural Italian vegetables and cheeses. For tea lovers, Urban Market Tea will offer gourmet loose teas and tea accessories. But that's not all that's new and exciting. There will be vendors who transform old jewelry into vintage-style one-of-a-kind jewelry pieces, old pieces of furniture into must-have cottage pieces, fabrics into handbags, and beads and chains into stunning accessories. And while the line-up of vendors includes several new faces, visitors can be assured that their local favorites also will be returning, including Seasons Harvest, Twin Maple Orchards, Sevick Gardens, Skip's Restaurant - the premier ready-to-eat food vendor on site. Skip's has expanded its market menu this season, offering custom-made omelets, pancakes and other breakfast items, hamburgers, hotdogs, brats, prime rib sandwiches, tacos, chicken sandwiches, beverages and more. The market changes daily, and while some vendors are at the market both Saturdays and Sundays, some vendors are there only on Saturdays, while some attend only on Sundays, making for ever-changing scenery. Skip's Open-Air European Farmers Market is the place for everything natural and created by artisans: produce, fresh-cut restaurant-grade steaks, art, jewelry, breads, pastries, coffees, lattes, smoothies, concrete garden art, clothing, candles, soaps, flowers and so much more. The market also will offer fun things for kids to do, with weekly visits from kid-inspired organizations. The market also is a venue for fund-raising carwashes for groups that need to raise money for important projects and equipment. The market opens every Saturday and Sunday at 9 a.m. and closes at 2:30 p.m. through October 10. For more information about the market, or how to schedule a market fund-raising event, call Skip's at 269-469-3330.