Voted best in Pierce County, this farmers market caters to ‘all the young witches’
The gray and gloomy sky cleared up and the sun came out Saturday, Oct. 12, bringing with it the large crowds that flooded South Tacoma Way. Many people stopped to grab a bite at Howdy Bagel or a midday beer at Sig Brewing South, but most of the crowd was coming to and from a popular farmers market — one with an unusual theme.
Market-goers are greeted by spooky tunes, a custom photo backdrop and dozens of vendors lined up and down South 54th Street, welcoming them to Pierce County's best farmers market of 2024 : the Haunted Farmers Market.
Tacoma Haunted Farmers Market's backstory
Brianna Aratin and her husband, Ryan, are relatively new to Washington. As soon as she moved from San Diego last November, Aratin said, she saw an opening for a morbid market.
California is home to popular night markets, oddities-and-curiosities expos and horror conventions, and Aratin wanted to bring that sense of ghoulish fun to the Evergreen State.
So she did.
The process went lightning fast, Aratin explained. She came up with the idea in late January and founded an LLC within days. The first Haunted Farmers Market took place on March 30, a little more than a month after.
"I want to do 'farmers-market-meets-niche,'" Aratin recalled thinking — and she wanted the event to recur throughout the year. "And I want everyone from all over the U.S. to come; I don't want just Washington to come."
The market is popular on social media, counting about 60,400 Instagram followers . That online presence has helped beckon visitors from other states and countries, including a woman from Canada who immediately booked a flight after watching a video of the market, Aratin said.
In July the space expanded from one to two street blocks because of customer and vendor demand, she added. Now she counts more than 300 vendors on rotation.
Although it's fairly new, the market was an instant hit and was voted this year's best farmers market in Pierce County, according to the Best of Pierce County website .
Aratin said that winning best market is mind-blowing to her. She said that she had goals for the market, such as hitting 20,000 followers on its Instagram page before the end of the year, but she achieved and surpassed that amount by more than 40,000 followers.
"I never thought, just in the contest of farmers markets, that we'd even be in the top farmers markets because of how long farmers markets have been in Tacoma," Aratin said. "... It's going to be crazy next year, I just know it, and it's going to take us to new places."
Inspiration behind the Haunted Farmers Market and location
Where does Aratin's drive come from? She's a big fan of Halloween-y movies like "The Addams Family" and the true-crime genre. Perhaps that fascination runs in the family. Her mom is a private investigator.
The city of Tacoma "was a major help" in securing a space, Aratin explained. The market stands next to the uber-gothy Church Cantina. Other businesses along South Tacoma Way complement the event, such as the Black Bird Apothecary metaphysical shop.
Candles, plants, clothing, crystals, local honey, pressed flowers, prints, buttons and books are available at the market, Aratin said. It includes brooms and wreaths and lots of jewelry; she picked up some candy-corn earrings there for herself.
"It's kind of like a little carnival," Aratin said. "It's got the farmers and the food trucks, and walk around with your coffee and eat a pastry, and then shop all these really spooky vendors. And I've noticed people go around the market in circles for like, two, three hours.
"It's just a fun thing to add to Tacoma for all the young witches."
Upcoming Haunted Farmers Market events
The market is typically open every other Saturday from 9 a.m.-2 p.m. although it bumps to each Saturday in October, according to its website. Nov. 2 will be its Day of the Dead-themed market, Aratin said. She hopes to put on a special creepy Christmas indoor market as well.
On Sunday, Oct. 20, the Haunted Farmers Market is headed to Sumner for a pop-up night event from 2-7 p.m. In addition to displaying wares from top vendors, it plans to hold a showing of the new "Beetlejuice" flick, plus face- and pumpkin-painting.
About 26,000 folks replied that they're going to the Saturday, Oct. 26, market in South Tacoma, which promises to be extra eerie, Aratin said. There will be trick-or-treating and costumes, and certain vendors will crank the volume to 11 on animatronics and blow-ups.
This season's last Haunted Farmers Market is Nov. 16, Aratin said.
'Game changer' for Tacoma
On the afternoon of Oct. 12, Ember Wixx told The News Tribune about what the Haunted Farmers Market has meant for her macabre-art business, Ember and the Dead. Patrons can pick up taxidermied creatures or unique bone arrangements, like animal vertebrae paired with dried flowers.
Wixx called the market a "game changer" for local small businesses and artisans.
"We are absolutely just blown away with the response from the community," she said. "I think it's exactly what Tacoma needs to kind of bring a little bit more life to this area, especially artistically."
Bianca Hernandez is another local vendor who has joined the popular market. Hernandez owns Nuestro Barrio, a multicultural store in Puyallup. Hernandez tends to a booth filled with merchandise from her second business, Amicis Novum, which includes apparel with Halloween-related graphics as well as tumblers and totes that are also Halloween-themed.
Hernandez expressed her fondness for the market and said its been a "blessing" to be able to vend there.
"I am a huge spooky gal, and the fact that I can just make and push out 100s of designs and have them not be judged and having them almost sell out every single time is insane," she said.
Along with running her own booth, Hernandez partnered with Aratin to design all of the merchandise for the Haunted Farmers Market, which she said has been a huge opportunity for her and her small business.
"I love being able to collaborate with [Aratin] and see her vision on their brand of merch," Hernandez said. "There's a few designs no one has seen yet that I know people are going to fawn over! It's only just the beginning!"
Brienne-Joelle Quilici, owner of Molten Hot Cosmic Witch , expressed gratitude for Aratin creating a space and community for people who enjoy all things witchy and dark.
"We are so proud of you and all the hard work you put in to make this happen, week after week," Quilici commented under a post on the market's Instagram page. "You built an incredibly weird and beautiful community that I am proud to be a part of!!!!"
The way Aratin sees it, Washington is full of folks who gravitate toward the spooky side of life. To her it makes sense: The state stays gloomy for months at a time and is full of haunted places and nature lovers.
While the market celebrates bone-chilling fun, Aratin notes it includes shopping for everyone. One ceramics booth might have a pumpkin-themed piece, for instance — but also offer another option featuring strawberries.
The Haunted Farmers Market's audience is versatile, she added.
"There's some people there that I would have never thought would come to a market like mine," Aratin said. "We really can't judge a book by its cover, because what if that's like their whole life?"
