1st Wednesday Night Market in 2 years brings back fresh food, fun to downtown Santa Rosa

After a two-year hiatus due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Santa Rosa’s downtown Wednesday Night Market returned to Old Courthouse Square this week with farm-fresh produce, food vendors, beer and wine, kids’ activities and arts and crafts booths on hand.

“We enjoy this,” said William Bryerton of Bryerton’s Roasted Almonds. “You always meet new people.”

William and Rhonda Bryerton have been roasting almonds for five years. They sell their almonds, with flavors including smokehouse and cinnamon, at farmers markets throughout Napa and Sonoma counties, including at the Wednesday Night Market.

The market also featured returning food vendors like Pasta King, Nellie's Oysters, Gourmet Faire and Golden Kettlecorn. The market’s array of local farms selling their produce included Ortiz Family Farm from Santa Rosa and Sonoma’s The Patch.

Even with temperatures sitting around 90 degrees and a strong breeze blowing some tents around, crowds came out for the year’s inaugural market.

David Whitehall and Brooke Henderson spent their time at the market playing an oversized game of Jenga.

“We heard it was happening so we thought we would come by,” Whitehall said.

“And we’re on a date,” Henderson added.

Along the square’s Third Street entrance, Petty Theft, a Tom Petty tribute band, performed on a large stage beginning at 6 p.m., while beer and wine vendors set up along the Fourth Street entrance.

Other activities featured as part of the market’s return included the SR City Works Festival, which celebrated National Public Works Week, May 15-21, with information and facts regarding Santa Rosa’s public infrastructure and public works employees and vehicles on hand.

The 33-year-long tradition, which combines a farmers market and street fair, will be confined this year within Old Courthouse Square and the side streets to the east and west. Fourth Street and Mendocino Avenue will remain open to traffic during the market hours this summer.

The Wednesday Night Market happens every Wednesday this summer through Aug. 31.

For more information, go to wednesdaynightmarket.org.