Find everything from bats embroidered onto a tiny tree limb and actual taxidermized bats to fresh eggs and great coffee when spending time at Tacoma’s Haunted Farmers Market. Every other Saturday from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., guests are taunted with witchy vendors and spooky-themed food trucks to their (un-beating) heart’s content.
Meet Brianna Aratin of Tacoma’s Haunted Farmers Market
Brianna Aratin, the brains behind this unique operation, has hit the ground running. Originally from San Diego and a big fan of all things spooky, Aratin moved from California to Tacoma less than a year ago. She has already established herself in the community and has recently made cauldrons bubble wildly on social media. The whole idea began as a bit of a joke.
“I should make a spooky market here!” Aratin said. After brainstorming, she and her family picked the perfect name, the Haunted Farmers Market. “Well, it’s only $200 to get the LLC. Should I do it?” Aratin wondered to herself.
She filed the same day, six months ago. After some light research online to see if the community had enough themed vendors, she found there was a gaping hole of a need for the Haunted Farmer’s Market, at least on the vendor side of things.
“I had over 75 vendor applications in the first two weeks,” Aratin explains.
Initially, the entrepreneur thought opening the Haunted Farmer’s Market would take about a year. But with the outstanding amount of interest, her knowledge base around entrepreneurship and marketing along with her hard work and dedication, Aratin worked diligently toward her goal. Even after a snafu with the original site in north Tacoma, she found another location and opened up the market within a span of a few months.
The Haunted Farmers Market celebrated its grand opening in March and has gained traction faster than a tardy witch flying to her coven stead. After an attendance record of about 3,5000 people the second time around, it was obvious this market would succeed.
“It was pretty crazy. The video coverage of our second market went viral on social media,” Aratin explains. Every last food vendor sold out, as did a majority of the makers. The market continues to grow in popularity. The market’s social media has grown to over 20,000 followers on Instagram within two months of the initial launch.
What to Expect at Tacoma’s Haunted Farmers Market
Visitors can find crystals, candles, spell jars, custom apparel and accessories at this themed Farmer’s Market in South Tacoma. Fresh, hyper-local produce is flying off the shelves of LGBTQIA+-owned Gravel Pit Farms. The DoughBoy Bakery brings their incredible hand-mixed breads and treats. Enchantresses and sorcerers frequenting the Haunted Farmer’s Market can also find fresh eggs, whole coffee beans, hot sauce, macarons and a bakery. The Haunted Farmer’s Market is currently accepting Washington farms to join the otherworldly market.
Black Bird Spiritual is an integral part of the market as well. “I couldn’t run this market without a tarot card reader,” Aratin explains. At first, it wasn’t clear if it would all work out. Serendipitously, when the market’s location had to change to south Tacoma, the new location ended up being right across the street from their brand new, family-owned shop called Black Bird Apothecary.
Yes, the Haunted Farmer’s market is filled with peculiars and oddities. Yet, it is still a place for the kids. So, bring the family to enjoy Kona ice, toy coffins and maybe even a beginner’s spell book.
One of the favorite vendors around the market is Ajay’s Honey. At four years old, Ajay was the first Black-owned beekeeper in the PNW. Now eight, the passionate young honey maker works with his parents to tend to the bees and collect, package and distribute the honey.
“His parents are using the money for his college fund and to teach him about business,” says Aratin.
With her work selling out in minutes at the market and in seconds online, one of the most popular vendors at Tacoma’s Haunted Farmer’s Market is Rosy Ghost. The original fine art prints, paintings and dried flower frames feature ghosts by Jaeda Reed. The pressed and dried flowers placed perfectly in layers, a ghost in the foreground and a moon in the background make a scene out of a dream. Reed’s work is a mix of that warm, homey feeling with a small, sudden gust of cold air, perfectly aligning with the audience at the twice-monthly market.
Tacoma’s Haunted Farmers Market Brings Vistors to Tacoma
“The crowd is the best part. Tacoma and the surrounding area really show up for its art community. We’ve got a wonderfully eclectic and weird bunch of creative folks around here, and they’re truly the best group of people I could ask for,” shares Reed.
With people driving as long as five hours to frequent the supernatural farmers market, Reed speaks of the surrounding area as being huge. “We had one woman drive over three hours for her birthday, and her car broke down. They ended up taking an Uber from the mechanic all the way to the market. [They] had a blast,” recalls Aratin.
The Haunted Farmers Market has so much more in its cards. Because of the exponential success of the market in such a short time span, they are launching an expansion on July 6. The market will increase to 100 themed vendors instead of the 50 they began with, adding hours of fun on Saturday mornings.
“Seems people really love the strange, dark & spooky,” sums up Aratin.
Tacoma Haunted Farmers Market
S 54th St & S Tacoma Way, Tacoma
