The Vibe in Arcata, CA

There is a vibe goin’ on in Arcata that should not be missed if you are ever around these parts.  This college town of 17,230 residents is home to Humboldt State University and some funky shops, restaurants and interesting little book stores.  Saturday mornings it is also home to a great farmers’ market, a feast for the senses.  Surrounding the perimeter of the town’s central plaza, farmers, beekeepers, flower and food vendors, etc. etc. come together to show off their local wares.

Amazing variety abounds and in the center of the square there is always entertainment.  Today it was to be Ukesperience, a great group of local guys, three playing killer ukulele, one playing percussion and another on drums. Young and old alike were tapping toes, clapping hands, or just outright jammin’ to their folksy tunes.  After shopping we joined the rest of the crowd to listen in, do a little people watching and nosh on some yummy corn and black bean tamales.

A visit to Wildberries, a great little organic market, is a must if for no other reason than to soak in the local hospitality.  On a previous day’s visit we noticed how friendly everyone was, particularly our cashier Janna.  She moved to Arcata from the Central Valley and has never looked back, preferring the cooler temps here.  Today we stopped by again for a few items not found at the farmers’ market and once again found Janna.  As she started to ring us up, she said “hi LuAnn and Terry”.  We were most impressed with the name recall.

Yep, there is a great vibe in this college town, one that will bring us back again before we leave, perhaps to get a little more Ukesperience.

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