SHOOT FOR THE MOON

BY ISABELLE HAINES

INSIDE THE TWO-WOMAN MISSION TO BRING NIGHTLIFE TO BAINBRIDGE

On an island with an informal bedtime of 8 p.m., genuine nighttime fun can be hard to come by. But the Moonlight Market, a night bazaar hosting artists and small businesses from around the Puget Sound, is changing Bainbridge’s sleepy reputation. Coinciding with First Friday Art Walks, the Market takes over the lawn in front of Bainbridge Performing Arts from 5 to 9 p.m., May through October.

“We wanted to build on the momentum of First Fridays while bringing in creatives in a really low-barrier way,” said Sarah Wen, who co-runs the Market with Lily Karsten. The longtime friends united under a professional alias: the Moonlight Ladies. (Yes, that is a James Taylor reference.) They first conceived of the Moonlight Market back in 2018, as new moms who wanted to see something family-friendly and different in the island’s social and commercial scene.

Wen and Karsten piloted the Market in August 2021. It was a team effort: tents were borrowed; friends and husbands strung up tea lights. Even on that first go, the Moonlight Ladies were surprised by the crowd—they built a market and people came. They’ve kept on building ever since.

“The Market is shopping, it’s food, it’s music, it’s a place to gather and enjoy a drink with friends and community,” said Wen. “We really try to give our vendors the space to show people what they can do.”

“This is an event where not every single vendor lives on Bainbridge — it’s a great opportunity to expose the community to artists and creatives from off-island,” added Karsten.

It’s an intentionally eclectic lineup. Market-goers can find anything from dainty gold jewelry made from recycled metals to hot dogs swaddled in checkered paper to plump, Buddha-like clay figures striking exuberant poses. Wen and Karsten carefully curate each Market, favoring small-batch, local and sustainable goods. They also seek out vendors whose work is influenced by a specific culture or incorporates traditional technique, in addition to championing BIPOC-owned, women-owned, and queer-owned businesses. While other markets may have 70 or 80 vendors, Wen and Karsten prefer to keep it small. Featuring 20 to 30 vendors means that each Moonlight Market is edited and balanced and helps assure that each vendor has a good experience. It can be draining and expensive for small businesses to get exposure through the market circuit. The Moonlight Ladies understand the struggle.

“It’s really hard to pop up a tent by yourself,” said Karsten. “We have an incredible team that helps us set up the event to make it as easy as possible for vendors.”

This year, around 120 vendors are booked for the six-month run. The diverse array offers something for everyone. Fashionistas should keep an eye out for Cocobolo, a sleek, sister-owned clothing brand operating out of Tacoma; the Port Townsend-based vintage boutique One on One; and the upcycled fashion label COOJ. Anyone looking to buff up their skincare routine should be on the lookout for Onyx + Petal, a botanical skincare brand. And then there’s the You As An Animal project, through which illustrator Michelle Lassaline creates 5-minute watercolor portraits of participants as the animal of their choice.

There’s also a resident DJ—Deejay Hershe—whose signature blend of lounge, soul and funk has become the Market’s soundtrack. It’s summer, sonically personified, and tends to get people dancing.

“By the last hour of the Market, it’s usually turned into a full-blown dance party,” said Wen.

The Moonlight Ladies are ready to keep growing the project, which could mean finding more community partners or expanding the Market to other Kitsap and Seattle neighborhoods. Three years in, Wen and Karsten still feel the same anticipation from that first-ever Market, way back in the summer of 2021.

“The crowd surprises us every time,” said Wen. “People show up at 5:01, and they’re still there when we’re cleaning up.”

>> Learn more at moonlight-market.com