Kathy Stewart, wtop.com
WASHINGTON – It was only a test run but this was the final weekend for a pilot program — an outside winter farmers market in Dale City. And although winter never really came this year, the question is will the winter market be returning next year?
It seems the idea was a big success. Both vendors and customers are pushing hard to bring the market back.
Lysiane Bower loves being able to do her shopping at the market throughout the winter. At one of her stops, Bonjour La Parisienne, she says, “I’m eating the croissant before he’s finished putting it out.” She’s referring to Markos Panas the owner of the bread and pastry shop.
“This is my routine. I get my eggs, I get my croissant,” she says.
Marie Hainsworth, manager of the Dale City Farmers Market, says they are strongly thinking about doing the winter market again next year.
Bower is elated to hear that and pastry vendor Panas predicts that next year it will be even bigger.
Meanwhile, the pickle man, Arondo Holmes owner of Oh! Pickles says, “The winter market was fantastic it’s great for all the vendors cause it keeps up going through the winter.”
John Oliphant and his family were regulars at the winter market.
“I think it was a fabulous idea,” he says. Even though there were some 20 degree days, he’s happy there wasn’t any snow.
Another reason why the vendors love having the winter market — They say it makes it a whole lot easier to slide right into the spring market.
“It gets a real fast start to the spring market,” Holmes says.
The market starts operating under spring hours beginning April 1, from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m.
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