The Portland Saturday Market, one of the world's best outdoor markets for arts as well as crafts is a very important market in the US. It is located in Portland which is in Oregon.

In the United States, this Portland market is possibly the largest outdoor market that is operated on a continuous basis. It takes place on all Saturdays and every Sunday from the 28th of February till the 24th of December. It is held at the meeting of the SW Ankeny & the Naito Parkway which is located beneath the Burnside Bridge's West End. Its stretch is to the extent of the Ankeny Park.

The market however operates within a specific time that is, from 10 am till 5 pm on the Saturdays and from 11 am till 4.30 pm on the Sundays. They don't charge any admission fee. The market always is easily accessible. You can access it by foot or on bicycle and the rail line that stops inside the market which is the, TriMet's Max Light Rail. This rail stops at Skidmore Fountain Stop which is exactly beside the Skidmore Fountain. Not only this, it also holds a festival which is known as the 'Festival of the Last Minute'. It takes place on a daily basis till the Christmas Eve.

The market is known to have as many as 400 members. It approximately is responsible for generating an estimate of about $8 millions in the annual gross sales. It is increasingly beginning to act as a center of economic activities. It is more of an economic source for the neighborhood area which is like the old and historic Chinatown.

Founded in 1974, Portland Saturday Market ranks as the largest outdoor arts and crafts market of its kind in the US. The market can be found in Portland's historic old town, just under the west end of Burnside Bridge. It remains one of the most popular and unique shopping destinations for local handmade artifacts, foods and all kinds of merchandise. Come to experience the true taste of Portland.

Loads of vendors are scattered at the Portland Saturday Market. You won't believe your eyes. Colorful handmade clothing flutters in the warm breeze. You may be even mouthwatering with the appealing smells of ethnic foods and fresh-baked eateries. Plus local street performers keep customers entertained. It's really a cool shopping place with everything displayed.

Portland Saturday Market Homepage

http://www.portlandsaturdaymarket.com/index.htm

In spite of the name indications, the Portland Saturday Market is actually open on both Saturdays and Sundays. The city of Portland will hold this outdoor arts and crafts market every weekend from the first weekend of March to December 24th. It's a must stop for locals and tourists alike. Be sure to know the market's hours of operations. On Saturdays, the outdoor market is available from 10 AM to 5 PM. On Sundays, the market operation hour is from 11 AM to 4:30 PM. Admission is free!

In addition to the regular market between March and December, the Portland Saturday Market also has a Festival of the Last Minute, which is held each December every day until the Christmas Eve. The Festival of the Last Minute is home of 400 vendors selling everything you need for holiday giving, from innovative arts and handcrafted objects to homemade foods and other novel gifts.

Where to find Portland Saturday Market? The market is located just next to the Willamette River in Waterfront and Ankeny Parks on SW Naito Blvd in the city's downtown area. It's held at the junction of SW Ankeny and the Naito Parkway regularly. You can reach the market easily on foot or by bicycle. And the Trimet's MAX Light Rail serves the market and stops at the Skidmore Fountain stop just beside the Skidmore Fountain. To save time, you can leave your car at home and ride the train to the market.

More Transit Info

http://www.trimet.org

Of course, you can drive to the market if you insist. You should notice that the Broadway Bridge is under construction for streetcar project until April 11, 2011. It will reopen after its complete construction. Driving directions are prepared for your convenience.

When you're traveling from I-5 S, take exit 300B to the City Center exit. Then you need to cross over the Morrison Bridge and turn to your right onto SW 2nd Avenue. Continue to drive on the avenue and head north to Burnside Street. Make a right turn onto NW Davis Street and you can park in the SmartPark Garage.

If you're coming from I-5 Northbound, proceed on and take City Center exit. Continue to drive and take the Front Avenue exit. You should take SW Naito and head north towards the Burnside Bridge. Turn left onto NW Davis Street and park your car in the SmartPark Garage.

Portland Saturday Market provides a low-cost venue in downtown Portland for its members. Both small business owners and emerging business owners can sell their wares and services through coupled marketing and promotional programs that enjoy a great success in the area. How to join the Portland Saturday Market and become a craft member?

A total of seven types of membership vendors are available at the market: craft vendors, farm, food booth, snack food & packaged food, guest vendors and service vendors. Currently food, farm or snack food booth applications are not accepted due to capacity. You can check back its official website for any updates.

Before submitting your application, you need to check the Product Guidelines for your craft. The Guidelines are part of the criteria on whether your products are eligible to be sold into the market. Partnership documentation and copies of your products should be included in your applications. Applications can be submitted to the market's Administrative Office at 108 W Burnside. Please note that all applications are not accepted on Fridays.

You will be informed of the jury results of whether your applications are approved the following Wednesday. There is a $25 application fee. If you get the approval and sell your products in the market, you'll be charged daily fees of $49 on Saturday and $30 on Sunday. For more detailed info on the market membership, please check the "Become a Member" section on its official website.

Become a Member

http://www.portlandsaturdaymarket.com/Main%20Pages/Become%20a%20Member%20Pages/become_a_member.htm

The Saturday Market is one of the longest running continuously operated open air market in the USA. It is open on Saturdays and Sundays from February 28 to December 24. The timings are 10am-5pm on Saturdays and 11am to 4:30pm on Sundays.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Portland_Saturday_Market

The shops are individually owned and they vary greatly. However, this was not a permanent market yet when it began and is actually a rough collection of several individually owned shops. It is completely open air and had several great stalls that attracted regular visitors.

Recently, the market has moved to the South Waterfront and Ankheny Parks. This is a fairly new development. The opening ceremony took place in early May 2009.

It is an arts and crafts market and has several artisans as members and sellers of different kinds of things. If you want to stay near this wonderful place, you can find a great hotel in Portland that fits your budget and requirements.

Here are the fun things you can do here:

1. Buy Hand crafted products

This is a great place to buy and look around for hand crafted products in wood, glass, metal etc. You can get items for home decor, for decorating your garden, for personal use and for gifting. If you look hard enough, you might find a seller who can custom engrave an item for you.

2. Clothes

This market also has artisans who make clothes that are beautiful and unique. These are usually handcrafted items that are not branded. You can usually find beautiful hand woven or hand knit things that are of very high quality and pleasing looks.

3. Food

There are food booths all around the market. They follow very strict hygiene and aesthetic rules. Some of them are quite popular with the locals and frequent travelers.

Official website

http://www.portlandsaturdaymarket.com/index.htm

http://www.saturdaymarket.org

Contact Information

http://www.saturdaymarket.org/Main%20Pages/About%20Us/contact_us.htm

Legacy Fountain

http://www.saturdaymarket.org/PSM%20Home%20Legacy%20Fountain.pdf

The city travel Portland, Oregon provides you with heaps of varieties including shopping. The strangest fact is that this market is held on Sunday's but it is still called the Saturday market.

This includes indulging in the discounts and offers of the Saturday markets where you can get everything ranging from food to clothes. Apart from the regular Saturday markets you can also visit the well known shopping areas of Downtown Portland, Pearl District, and the Lloyd District. One can also come across some major department stores like Saks 5th Avenue, Nordstrom, Macy*s, and Mario's.

You can also get information about this from couple of links http://portland.citysearch.com/profile/8463417/portland_or/portland_saturday_market.html and http://www.tripadvisor.com/Travel-g52024-d126746/Portland:Oregon:Portland.Saturday.Market.html along with details on some of the most popular malls in the metropolitan area are Lloyd Center, Vancouver Mall, Bridgeport Village, Washington Square, Clackamas Town Center, and Pioneer Place.

There is plenty of shopping to do here and you can indulge in some of the most popular local cuisines or head to the flea markets for enjoying some street shopping along with street food.

You can visit http://family.go.com/travel/things-to-do/oregon/portland/poi-466456-portland-saturday-market/ that provides some fun ways to enjoy this market. They also have things to do list to guide you about spending time in this market, enjoying the kids playing around and the artist's painting.

Are you planning to go to the Portland Saturday Market in Oregon? Well you can do that on Saturdays from 10am to 5pm and on Sundays at 11am to 4pm. If you want a place where you can find everything showcased then you need to come to this market on those hours.

The initiative of the Portland Saturday Market is to create an environment where economic growth is everyone's vision. The authenticity of people and products is honored in this place. As you visit Portland Oregon for vacation do not miss out on this.

http://www.tripadvisor.com/Travel-g52024-d126746/Portland:Oregon:Portland.Saturday.Market.html

1. What is it you need to know about this place?

On Saturday and Sunday the Old Town turns into an open air market where products are showcased on open air. You can find perfect gifts for loved ones at the place. The hotels Portland OR are the other attractions that will surely excite you. You can browse through many things and find something that will interest you.

http://www.saturdaymarket.org/Main%20Pages/About%20Us/history.htm

2. What are the things to expect from the Portland Saturday market?

- Arts and crafts

- Household products

- Clothing

- Jewelry

- Photography

- Unique miscellaneous pieces

- International foods

3. More about the place

http://www.evite.com/pages/venue/venueDetails.jsp?venueID=GFOLEMJSQHQIJZWWDILM

Although there are many places in the world which offer you magnificent display of art and craft, Portland Oregon takes this to a whole new level. This is owing to the hugely popular Portland Saturday Market. The market is one of its kind markets in the region, which enjoys a stupendous residents as well as tourist turn-out. The most distinctive feature about the Saturday market in Portland, Oregon is that it proves to be an able platform where artists as well as craftsmen can efficiently interact with the customers and general public, hence getting to know their likes and preferences.

Due to this reason, it is a personal favorite of everyone in Portland and you shall find it ably listed in all the Portland Oregon travel guides. You can catch a glimpse into what the Saturday market in Portland has to offer through the following link:

http://www.portlandsaturdaymarket.com/

Be it any weather, this market goes on in the open, providing the flavor of thousand of skilled craftsmen as well as artisans from all ages and style of working, exhibiting their finesse and skill. This is an ongoing weekly market, from the very first week of the month of March each year, till the Christmas Eve. The market reflects that historical feel owing to its central location in the very famous Old Portland. The market takes place towards the western side of the Burnside Bridge.

If you are planning to visit the market and are feeling apprehensive about the parking facilities at the market, you do not need to fret as up to two full hours of free parking facilities can be availed at the various Smart Park garages. Get to know about the location of the Portland's Saturday market through the following link:

http://portland.citysearch.com/profile/8463417/portland_or/portland_saturday_market.html

For a detailed location of the Saturday market in Portland, you may use the following link:

http://www.portlandsaturdaymarket.com/Main%20Pages/About%20Us/find_us11.htm