The Sunday market beside the Rillito Race Track is called a farmers market, but there are more venders selling prepared foods than farmers selling fresh vegetables. Nevertheless, it is a fun place to spend an hour or so on a Sunday morning, noshing on the tasty foods and watching your fellow Tucsonans wander from booth to booth. Listening to live music makes it even better.
Sunday morning at the market began with me taking photos of the Ukrainian dumpling food booth at the top of this page. Moving along I came across a booth with a sign reading Desert Alchemist!! (Whoa?! I thought alchemy was discredited 300 or 400 years ago.) Well, there they were, anyway, selling natural medicines. I’m not sure what the back of that green sweater reads; I don’t even recognize the alphabet used by the knitter. If you do, please let me know.
And a few steps away was a man selling Hatch green chile butter and other goodies, and the food in his booth was selling out fast. (Nice hat.)
Several vendors had already sold out at 11:30 a.m. and were packing to go home. The jams and pickles were popular and almost gone, but there still seemed to be plenty of dried vegetable snacks and lavender pillows.
People-watching was fun
Some Tucsonans were just standing around, talking with friends. Some were eating in the shade–although it was chilly–so the people sitting in the sunshine enjoying the food and music were probably more comfortable.
Of course there was music. Pretty good, too.
And near the far end of the market were two popular booths. On the left is Native Seed Search. And one for dried chiles. I’m not certain what the name is of the dried chiles seller, but I’ve seen them before at this market at the Chile Festival.
And while the Chile Festival happens once a year. the Rillito market is open every Sunday.
