Wake me up before you go-go

Saturdays have always been seated on the throne as the ruler of all other days.

Monday through Friday are filled with school and work, and Sunday is the oh-crap-Monday-is-tomorrow day, but Saturday is a time of relaxation, sleep and enjoyment.
Perhaps the most beloved aspect of Saturday is the chance to sleep in. But if you can believe it, there is a reason to save that morning snooze for an afternoon nap — the Bloomington Community Farmers’ Market.

The Farmers’ Market is a Bloomington Saturday morning tradition. It begins at the early hour of 8 a.m., but any student willing to separate his face from his pillow should dig in to this townie treat.

The Farmers’ Market is open every Saturday from April through November, so students who live here during the school year have only a few short months to enjoy it. But those of us here over the summer have every Saturday if we so choose.
I certainly am not up and chipper at 8 every Saturday morning, but I never regret the mornings I manage to wake myself up.

The market is great because it offers a glimpse at a side of Bloomington that can’t be seen on Kirkwood. It is a place to taste local produce, hear local musicians and learn all you care to know about Bloomington culture.

Personally, I love buying a couple honey sticks to suck on while weaving my way through the hoard of people. When I was a kid, my parents always bought me a honey stick (probably to shut me up) — and the little plastics tubes of honey have become a staple in my summer routine.

Beyond the food, the market also boasts performances by all sorts of Bloomington artists. From art showcases to theatrical performances, during the market the Showers Plaza houses any and all artists under the sun. If you’re lucky, you might even catch a certain columnist performing there this weekend.

The food and entertainment make the market good, but the beautiful outdoor setting makes it great. With shaded, grassy yards and a huge water fountain, the Showers Plaza makes the perfect setting for the quaintest of all townie experiences.

While a smaller version of the Farmers’ Market occurs Tuesdays from 4 to 7 p.m. (appropriately termed Tuesday Market) near the downtown Bloomingfoods, a weekday rendition could never beat the truly magical experience of walking through the scents of an array of goodies in the early morning light.

So in my attempt to experience all that is Bloomington in the few short weeks I have before moving back to Minnesota, a stop at the Farmers’ Market was a long-planned stop on my journey.

Take it from this townie: A visit to the Farmers’ Market is an awesome — if not the only — reason to wake up before noon on a Saturday.