2023 Watertown Farm and Craft Market begins in rainy conditions

Jonathon Wheeler, Watertown Daily Times, N.Y.
·2 min read

May 24—WATERTOWN — A little rain wasn't going to Justin T. Wilbanks from going to opening day of the Watertown Farm and Craft Market.

He said he had to go out to get a windshield replaced and noticed that the market had begun.

Mr. Wilbanks is originally from Georgia and moved to the north country about seven years ago, and started coming to the market a few times last year.

He said he looks forward to seeing what the local businesses have to offer.

"Seeing what everybody's got around," he said.

One of the staples of the market is C&J Old Fashioned Kettle Corn, but the usual people behind the table, popping delicious kettle corn, may be changing.

One of the previous owners, Jerry A. Sherman who co-owned the business with his wife were training the new owner Patrick Caldwell on Wednesday. Mr. Caldwell is also the boyfriend of Mr. Sherman's daughter. C&J Old Fashioned Kettle Corn has been at the market for decades.

"Aside from the weather being so bad today, it's nice to be back and start up again," Mr. Sherman said. "We've already had some people come down the sidewalk and say 'Yes! Popcorn' so we know they're excited to have us back."

The business also started running a lemonade stand directly next to their kettle corn.

Flavors for the lemonade include raspberry, watermelon, wildberry, strawberry, blue raspberry, peach, mango, half and half, classic lemonade, and regular iced tea.

Mr. Sherman said typically the market opens the last Wednesday of May so he thinks opening up now might've also hurt them.

"We're not quite sure why the market opened early, but that might've hurt us a little bit because people know it's after Memorial Day traditionally," he said.

Shari Simmons, owner of Simmons Farm, said that they were busy Wednesday morning before the rain came.

"When the rain comes then people are afraid of getting wet," she said.

She added people are excited for the market to be back.

"They look forward to it all year," she said. "The people that shop at the markets are always looking forward to it opening."

Simmons Farm has been at the market for about 16 years.

"We're here if it's 95 degrees out and we're here if it's 30 degrees out," she said.

She called the Watertown Farm and Craft Market "a big family reunion."

It just so happened that the one day that weather wasn't supposed to cooperate this week was Wednesday.

AccuWeather is predicting a much different day on next Wednesday with a high of 80 degrees and sunny.

The market is put on every Wednesday by the Watertown-Greater North Country Chamber of Commerce from 7 a.m. until 3 p.m. throughout the summer.