‘Cultural Fair’ celebrates Lents area diversity

INCLUDES LIVELY VIDEO | Look at what happened when the Lents Grown Business Association, and the Lents International Farmers Market, again came together to create a family festivity, that included a BIG pickle …

Shoppers fill the Lents International Farmers Market as the Lents Neighborhood Cultural Fair gets underway.

Story and photos by David F. Ashton

Anticipation for a lively day started to build on Sunday morning, September 8, when the Lents International Farmers Market (LIFM) in Lents Town Center started off with their usual 9:00 a.m. opening bell.

The occasion? This was the day for the 3rd annual Lents Neighborhood Cultural Fair to take place at the marketplace.

Giving away door prize tickets, it’s Lents Grown Business Association President Keith Richardson – and his wife, and co-owner of their business, Refuge Coffeehouse – Kimi Richardson.

“The Lents Grown Business Association is glad to be back at the Lents International Farmers Market, as we present our annual Lents Cultural Fair, which helps promote Lents businesses as well as the cultures in Lents, which are diverse and awesome,” said the business association president, Keith Richardson.

Neighborhood organizations set up informational tables inside The Zed’s indoor/outdoor dining hall.

Portland Lee’s Association Lion Dance team entertains in the Market Plaza.

“In addition to the farmers market, we’ve got special entertainment – including a great jazz band; the Portland Lee’s Association Lion Dance team; Dillon, the Portland Pickles mascot – and the break-dancing ‘Break Thyself’ crew coming in too,” Richardson told East Portland News.

“As a neighborhood business district, we’re trying to connect with our community. This helps people to know one another, so they can provide mutual support and be the connecting link between neighbors and local businesses.”

Take a tour of the vendors, and see the activities at this fun day at the Lents International Farmers Market:

Grateful for market location

Portland Farmers Market Operations Director Amber Holland talks with -“charter LIFM farmers” Tatyana and Petr Puzur, of Happy Moment Farm.

Supporting this market day, Portland Farmers Market Operations Director Amber Holland had a great time helping out.

“In past years, I was the LIFM manager, back when the market was ‘roaming’ from location to location,” Holland recalled. “Working for several years with developers – the owners of The Zed, Palindrome Communities, LLC – they’ve created a permanent spot that meets our current needs, and provides the opportunity for growth.”

-7 This space, just north of The Zed, is an ideal location for the LIFM and other community celebrations.

“The space that they’ve created is great for people in the community to come shop for vegetables and fruits – as well as meet each other on Sundays,” Holland said. So, we say ‘thank you’ to The Zed and to Palindrome, for making the space available to us.”

A shopper selects vegetables from the stand of a longtime LIFM vendor, Bonifacio Gardens.

This year they have over a dozen regular vendors; and, the number of shoppers has steadily risen, after the LIFM moved back to this location, remarked Holland.

Since this is a farm-oriented market, shoppers find fresh flowers, mushrooms, vegetables, fruits, and all the things that are available at the farms right now. The LIFM also features hot food vendors – as well as the ready-to-eat food offerings that are located in their host building.

OSU Extension Service SNAP Education Assistant Rebecca Rich teaches kids about food in the LIFM’s “Food Hero” booth.

Other attractions include the “Food Hero” stand for kids; and, their Double Up Food Bucks program continues – which matches, dollar for dollar, the SNAP benefits spent at the market – up to $20 per day.

Season continues through November
“Our season is far from over, we go all the way through November this year – the Sunday right before Thanksgiving is when our market wraps up for 2024,” Holland reminded as she turned to help customers.

Lents International Farmers Market

Open Sundays through November 22
Hours: from 9:00 a.m. until 2:00 p.m.
In Lents Town Center
SE 92nd Avenue, a block north of SE Foster Road at SE Reedway Street – across from Fire Station 11
CLICK HERE to see their webpage for more information.

>> On our Front Page: It’s Holly Trejo with Kiyokawa Family Orchards.

Comments are closed.