As the sun sets over Pullman, twinkling lights, local vendors and evening crowds will once again fill Pine Street Plaza with the return of the Starlight Market.
Unlike typical markets, the Starlight Market runs after sunset, transforming Pine Street Plaza into a lit, open-air marketplace from 6 to 10 p.m.
Jandi Utzman, president of Promote Pullman, said the market offers a distinct atmosphere for attendees.
“It’s a really beautiful setting,” said Utzman. “Everyone lights up their booths with twinkle lights. We set up crafts. It’s just a nice way to kick off the weekend with a nice ambiance.”
The market will feature a variety of local vendors, including jewelry artists, painters, photographers, and products like soap, candles and pottery. Specialty offerings such as spiritual services and a perfume bar will be part of the market’s lineup.
In addition to shopping, the event also includes hands-on activities. Attendees can paint wine glasses, paint by numbers and decorate ceramic flower frogs, which are small holders used to arrange flowers.
After using both downtown plazas last season, organizers are consolidating the market into one location this spring, Pine Street Plaza. Utzman said that she wants the market to be more centralized and connected for vendors and visitors.
Success for the market, she said, is measured in three ways: vendor profitability, community engagement and the impact on surrounding businesses.
When measuring whether the Starlight Market is successful, Utzman looks for those three things, but the markets have a lot on the line.
“I want the vendors who come and put all of their time into it to make enough to make it worth their while,” Utzman said. “Another big marker is seeing a lot of people having a great time and saying that they love it; that’s a huge marker. And the third marker is hearing that it’s helping surrounding businesses have increased foot traffic. We met all of those markers last year.”
The market coincides with the Blooms & Tunes, Promote Pullman’s Earth Day themed festival taking place throughout the weekend. Live music will begin downtown at 5:30 p.m., leading into the Starlight Markets opening at 6 p.m.
Together, these events are expected to draw a steady crowd downtown throughout the evening. The timing gives vendors a chance to meet visitors as they move between music, art and the market.
The Starlight Market will be held from 6 to 10 p.m. on Friday at the Pine Street Plaza.
