THIS SATURDAY MARKET SINGS.

Byline: Lewis Taylor The Register-Guard

It was a day for shopping, eating and reconnecting with old friends but, for a few brief moments, a group of budding virtuosos stole the show at the 35th opening of Saturday Market.

Wearing Hawaiian shirts and hula skirts, the pint-sized ukulele band Kids With Ukes worked its way through a selection of songs on its stringed instruments that included the Beatles' "Let It Be" and Neil Young's "Heart of Gold."

`I think (the band) is great,' said Alani Kelly, who sat nearby eating a plate of pad thai. "The Saturday Market is one of the best things about Eugene. It's a community center. There's people bringing their creativity and putting it on display. When Saturday Market starts, you know it's springtime."

Although the ukulele band opened its set with "Singin' in the Rain," not a drop of moisture hit the ground during the performance. Beth Little, the market's general manager, said she was grateful for the mild weather and the strong turnout. She estimated that 250 vendors were participating, including 45 artisans new to the market.

One of those new vendors, Mary Kuhnle, co-owner of Greg and Mary's Custom Jewelry, was pleased with the response on her first day of business. She made her first sale before noon and seemed to be enjoying the laid-back atmosphere.

"It's more fun than the mall," she said.

In another section of the market, Clair Coiner and her daughter Briana sold jewelry and offered henna tattoos at their booth, Mystical Mehndi.

Clair Coiner first started selling corn husk roses at the market in 1974, and the mother-daughter team has been coming nearly every year for the past 19 years.

"People come to market on the first day because they just want to be a part of it and not necessarily to buy," Coiner said.

Along with the more common tie-dyed shirt sellers, wooden bowl makers and ceramic artists, the market drew in some less likely artisans, including a survival-tool seller and a silverware artist.

Jacqui Lomont, owner of Rory's Doghouse Cookies, offered four different flavors of all- natural dog biscuits.

"I love the market," said Lomont, who started selling her dog treats in June. "It's a great way for somebody who's branching out into a new market."

Little, the market manager, said providing small sellers with an affordable, low-risk location to get their businesses off the ground has always been one of the market's main goals.

Artists, vendors and craftspeople are required to make the goods they sell. There are no imports, resold goods or extra employees allowed.

"The community supports what we're doing, providing this very basic local economy," Little explained.

Saturday Market also attracts sellers from throughout the state and brings in visitors from far beyond Oregon. One such traveler, Sarah Archbald of Delaware, soaked up the sounds of the ukulele band while enjoying a chicken burrito with a friend.

"It's nice," she said. "There's nothing like this at home."

CAPTION(S):

The ukulele group Kids With Ukes was a big hit at the opening day of the Saturday Market, which was graced with good weather. Organizers say the 35th year of the annual market got off to a strong start, with 250 vendors participating, 40 of them new to the market. O p e n i n g d a y