The block of Water Avenue from Broadalbin to Ferry Street was crowded Saturday morning.
The Albany farmers’ market opened its 2026 season today by returning to the riverfront, its Saturday home for 28 years until it moved near City Hall in 2007.
It was the first public function on Albany’s new “plaza street,” the west end of Water Avenue. The street was rebuilt in a decorative style as part of the $22 million Albany Waterfront Project, which also updated Monteith Riverpark.
Along with the weekly market, but separate from it, artisans set up booths offering various crafts along Water Avenue from Ferry to Washington Street.
Half of the farmers market was on the plaza street. The other half occupied the city-owned parking lot north of Water, the same lot where the market started in 1978 and operated during the season until 2006.
In 2007, Corvallis and Albany Farmers’ Market, the nonprofit that organizes the market days from April through November, asked to move to the parking lot and a block of Fourth Avenue at City Hall.
Now it’s back on the riverfront, where it began. The size of the crowd this morning shows that the move is paying off.
Rebecca Landis, the longtime director of Corvallis and Albany Farmers’ Market, told me she hopes to talk to the city about bike parking. There isn’t any now.
Another parking issue looms long term. The city-owned parking lot on the south side of Water Avenue, full of market customers’ vehicles this morning, may be developed with a building if Obie Companies, of Eugene, exercises an option to buy it. I’ll check on the status of that transaction next week.
The market’s return to the riverfront was accomplished in brilliant April sunshine. They sure picked a nice day. (hh)
The Farmers’ Market also returned to the parking lot where it was based from 1978 through 2006.
It’s SO nice driving through downtown on Saturdays now. No people dragging their feet crossing the street. Now if we could just get rid of of the people with their ridiculous signs of Friday afternoons. People can make up their own minds without the need for those waving signs and trying to distract drivers.
Yikes. “Get rid of..”, huh? What do you mean by that?
America doesn’t revolve around making MarK comfortable and happy.
Ever hear of First Amendment protections?
Being surrounded by people with shared convictions creates a vital sense of community. Formerly frightened people feel less isolated and cultivate more agency. Moods are elevated and can transform from disheartened to energized and even joyful. Protesters are there for each other, not to convince YOU of anything.
“There for each other…”???? Good grief! Let them all go some place for lunch, or go over to each other’s houses. They are free to believe anything they want. Just quit trying to force their opinions on everyone else. We definitely don’t need them gathering together along the streets distracting drivers with “their” opinions.
Protests aren’t meant to be private social events. They’re meant to be visible. That’s the whole point. That’s how constitutional rights work. You don’t have to like the message, but the right to express it publicly is the same right that protects everyone else’s speech too.
The First Amendment is to prevent the government from censoring the general public, not to prevent the general public from censoring the general public. The people publicly displaying their feelings/thoughts/ideas via protest and picket only do 2 things: embolden those that agree with them and irritate those that oppose them.
Well said
I visited the Saturday Market shortly after noon. Beautiful weather. Several vendors appeared to be sold out of their products. It felt very spacious. I remember when the market used to be down by the river. I plan to make many more visits through the season. I parked by the post office and then walked the Dave Clark path after checking out the market.
I remember the good old days when the train used to roll by while the market was operating. The brakeman would get out of the cab of the locomotive and pick up a pre-filled bag of produce, on the fly, without the train ever stopping. After PNWR took over operation from the BNSF in December 2002, the schedule changed. We need to petition the PNWR to run the OE on Saturday mornings so patrons of the farmers market can watch the train roll by while they shop for fresh local produce.
I love this! How wonderful. Thanks for sharing this bit of history with us.
And just how would you propose to pay for this?
Sounds like something the council would suggest. Make EVERYONE pay for the pleasure of a few.
MarK you seem to be an unhappy person who doesn’t want to hear other people’s thoughts and opinions.