Bellevue Farmers Market Where Everything's Authentically Washington!
Opening Day 2023. Liz Paruchuru pictured with market founder, Lori Taylor. Photo by Gigi Jirapolchet
“Bellevue Farmers Market is a great antidote to our increasingly digital and delivery culture,” says Liz Paruchuru, Market Director since 2019. “It is an absolutely wonderful place in our community. People come as customers seeking high-quality, tasty food, but so many become drawn in by the culture of the event, both what it represents and how it feels.”
As Liz points out, “People are seeking connection and a weekly time to gather with familiar faces, which means a lot to them. Bellevue Farmers Market is one of the only free, intergenerational spaces. Sure, we are a market, but people do come just to hang out, enjoy the music, and gather with friends.”
Bellevue Farmers Market's regular season runs from May through October, every Thursday from 3 p.m. - 7 p.m. at Bellevue Presbyterian Church, 1717 Bellevue Way NE. On each market day there is a mix of vendors offering seasonal fruits and vegetables, cut flowers, cheeses, fresh meats, one-of-a-kind artisan goods, and tasty cuisine. “We are a food-only market, meaning you won't have flea market or craft fair vibes when you come for a visit,” Liz continues, “and all BFM vendors grow and make the products they sell - we are proud to say everything sold at our market comes from within the state of Washington.”
With a 20-season history, multiple long-time vendors are the backbone of the market, while each year there are openings for new vendors to join. “We only work directly with farms and businesses, meaning there are no middlemen, and we visit farms to ensure they grow what they say they are growing,” Liz explains. “We prioritize food businesses that source local and, if they don't, we connect them to farms so they can begin that process.”
Liz has always held a passion for community work, becoming an active volunteer in high school. “I interned and worked at several nonprofits during and after college and post-grad education, fitting in a little detour to do something I was always interested in, organic farming!” Liz enthuses. She earned a Master's degree and planned to do clinical therapeutic work, but after living abroad and having children, she decided to return to nonprofit administration as a corporate fundraiser for Hopelink. “Then I saw a job posting that read ‘must be as comfortable in city hall as the farm field'- and that's when I applied to Bellevue Farmers Market,” she continues.
Bellevue Farmers Market is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting the local rural economy, farmland preservation, small family farms, and small businesses. “We are a shoestring staff with only one additional employee, but we rely on a strong board and over 70 community volunteers each market season,” Liz says. “As Director, I do everything from corporate fundraising and partnership development to popping tents on market day to writing our newsletter where we share vendor stories.”
In addition to the regular season, there will be two special Saturday markets in 2023, on November 18th and December 16th from 10 a.m. - 2 p.m. “The November market is the ideal time to stock up on Thanksgiving ingredients,” Liz says, “while the December market is a great choice for purchasing gifts for foodies in your life - we always have customers that are creating gift baskets and more.” In common with regular season markets, there will be music, dining options, and an activity for the kids.
“Our vendors are high quality, and this is something that sets our organization apart from other markets,” Liz concludes. “They provide the stories, smiles, and human interaction that separates farmers markets from everyday grocery stores.”