Park City will host its first environmentally friendly market Sunday.
The open-air farmers market on Park City's historic Main Street will feature more than 50 vendors — all of whom must adhere to a set of green guidelines. That means using recyclable, reusable and compostable materials for a zero-waste market.
"It's unique," said Kimberly Kuehn, director of the market, officially titled the Park Silly Sunday Market. "We really want to make a difference, and we want the town to see it and the world to see it."
The idea for the market started when Kuehn and friends Jewels Harrison and Julie Dorr-Arenson got together and started discussing ideas for local artists to showcase their work. They call themselves the "Three Marketers."
"We just don't have a real eclectic market here in Park City, and we have a lot of artists," Kuehn said. "We just felt like there was a missing link in Park City. So we said, 'Let's go ahead and do it."'
The plan got the Park City Council's unanimous backing. Park City is one of the Environmental Protection Agency's Green Power Communities for purchasing 3.7 percent of its electricity from green-power resources.
Max Paap, the city's special-events coordinator, said that a sustainability team in the city was recently created.
"We're looking at being a more green city," he said, adding that putting on an environmentally friendly festival has brought great community excitement. "They're really looking at a zero-waste festival: Whatever you bring in, you bring out."
Food vendors must use all biodegradable eating utensils with the food they sell, and two composting stations will take other waste. Through bike valet stations hosted by Cole's Sport and walking and riding maps created by the Mountain Trails Foundation, the festival is encouraging people to avoid using their cars and to walk, bike or take the bus to the festival. Recycle Utah will also take part in the market.
Park City currently has a farmer's market at The Canyons Resort, but Paap said it "kind of takes away from the downtown vitality here."
The new market will add diversity to its line-up by changing around vendors and featuring a different chef, artist, musical performer and nonprofit group each week. Crafts, antiques, imports, local produce and gourmet foods will also be for sale.
On top of that, street performers such as stilt walkers and others in costumes will be walking around. That's partly where the "silly" comes into the name, said Kuehn. She refers to old-town, pre-Olympic locals as "Park Sillians."
The Park Silly Sunday Market will run every Sunday through Oct. 14. It will go from 9 a.m. until 3 p.m. on Park City's Main Street.
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