Submitted by Erica Lyons.

As the summer season winds down to an end and signals the transition to fall, the Orcas Island Farmers Market is heading into the last two markets: Sept. 24 and Oct. 1. To celebrate the end of a successful 2022 season, we are inviting the community to experience our Harvest Festival on Oct. 1. Running from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., the final Farmers Market will be chock-full of awesome activities including face-painting, a giant zucchini contest, THREE harvest basket raffle prizes, and a fabulous musical guest: the Hot Tomatoes! Hailing from Orcas Island and Bellingham, the Hot Tomatoes are a Prohibition-era jazz and good-time swing group. Orcas Island face painting extraordinaire Stephie Mac will return to the market for the first time in two years for this very special one-day event.

Harvest Basket Raffle tickets are available at Darvill’s Bookstore and Orcas Art & Gifts until Sept. 30, and are also available at the Farmers Market every Saturday at the EBT/Market Manager booth. Don’t miss your chance to win 1 of 3 baskets stuffed full of goodies from most of our vendors. All raffle ticket monies go directly towards replenishing our Vendor Support Fund, which we used this year to help give 8 vendors in need a boost at the start of the season. Drawings will be held on Oct. 1 at 11:30 a.m., 12:30 p.m., and 1:30 p.m.

Got Zukes? We will be hosting a giant zucchini contest! Drop off your entries between 10 a.m. and 12 p.m. at the EBT/Market Manager booth for tagging and weigh-in. Awards will be given at 1 p.m.