The farmers market in Lake Stevens has a new manager

Published 1:30 am Thursday, April 9, 2026

EVERETT — A new farmers market is set to open June 2 in Lake Stevens.

The Greater Lake Stevens Chamber of Commerce will oversee the Farmers Market in Lake Stevens, the city announced on its website on March 25. The market will be open 3-7 p.m. every Tuesday from June 2 to Aug. 25 at North Cove Park, 1806 Main St. A special fall-focused market will open 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Oct. 11.

The Lake Stevens Chamber of Commerce is “committed to preserving what has made it special while thoughtfully introducing improvements to enhance the experience for everyone,” the organization’s website says. “Our vision is simple: to create a vibrant, welcoming market where vendors and customers can connect, discover local products, and support one another.”

Moving forward, the city’s market will operate under the name Farmers Market in Lake Stevens, “to eliminate any confusion over the change of management,” Lake Stevens Parks and Recreation Director Sarah Garceau said in an email.

“We’re excited for it. The chamber was very enthusiastic,” she said in an interview Tuesday. “They think that it really fits their mission with supporting small businesses, and they’re really excited to grow the event in a different way than it was before.”

The farmers market contract is for one year with an option to renew each year, Garceau said.

The move comes after previous farmers market director Sarah Jensen resigned on social media out of frustration with the city.

Jensen resigned after she said Main Street construction brought her to “genuine exhaustion.” In an email to city officials on July 2025, Jensen said the work affected vendors and customers’ ability to visit the market.

“We were in agreement that timely and accurate updates regarding construction would be communicated,” she wrote. “Unfortunately, we are now seven weeks into our season, and I can’t recall a single week where those updates have been accurate or honored.”

She also said the city fees were too high.

“No other market that I know of has to pay upwards of $6k-$17k to host a market,” she wrote in an email to The Herald in January.

Jensen owns the name “Lake Stevens Farmers Market,” and hoped to bring an event under her management back to the city in 2027.

Taylor Scott Richmond: 425-339-3046; taylor.richmond@heraldnet.com; X: @BTayOkay