After moving from one spot to another over the past few years—from the Casa de la Cultura, where it started, to Calle Pelicanos by the river, to Calle Miramar on the north side, Sayulita’s Mercado del Pueblo has at last found a semi-permanent home—back where it started, in Sayulita’s recently renovated and re-opened Casa de la Cultura on Avenida Palmar. With a three-year contract with the casa in her pocket, market manager Lina Weisman at last can rest easy about location, and concentrate on enhancing the market vendor list to assure that the customer base has a steady supply of the organic raw and cooked foodstuffs that the market has brought to Sayulita.
Many of these products had been available before the market was founded, but having it all in one place on a weekly basis has been great for the vendors and their customers. Rather than have to chase after the freshest organic produce, people know exactly where and when to buy it: every Friday between 10 and 2, Mercado del Pueblo, in the Casa de la Cultura. This consistency simply makes it easier for both visitors and residents to shop.
In keeping with the new plan to feature some artists and artisans as well, the newly relocated market has a section devoted to fine arts and crafts in the interior of the building. There is also an inviting, well-organized “food court,” with dining tables and chairs in close proximity to most of the prepared food vendors.
The performers of the week now put on their show on a raised, centrally-located stage, which makes it easier to see the players and hear the music from almost anywhere in the market.
Meanwhile the dozens of crafts vendors and other people selling stuff, many of whom came down from La Penita to take advantage of the market and its customer base a few weeks back, were most recently continuing to run a separate market on Calle Miramar. It appears now that this evolving crafts market will be open on Tuesdays only, on Calle Miramar, while the Mercado del Pueblo will continue to operate Fridays from 10 am until 2 pm at the Casa de la Cultural during the high season. Come on down, here some music, see some friends, and get some good food to eat on the spot or take home and cook. The Mercado shuts down for the summer, so be sure and stop in before it closes.
