The Farmers Market in The Alley offered something for every palate during its opening night Thursday in downtown Aiken.
From handmade crafts, to fresh vegetables and fruits, even puppies up for adoption, Aiken residents couldn't walk through The Alley without catching a glimpse, or a whiff, of what local farmers, residents and some visitors had to offer.
The market, held by the City of Aiken and the Aiken Downtown Development Association, is held from 5 to 7:30 p.m. each Thursday through Aug. 13.
Even though the Farmers Market had yet to officially open Thursday, The Alley was already packed with vendors selling anything from tie-dye clothing, baked goods, local honey and hand-painted gourds.
"This is a very good crowd for the very beginning of the event, and we're just excited to have everybody back down here; and what's great is we have more people than we did last year," said Avery Spears-Mahoney, director of the Aiken Downtown Development Association.
One of those vendors included local baker Sarah Laughlin, the owner of Real Cookies on Brookhaven Drive.
Laughlin was participating in her first Farmers Market in The Alley, even though she has been baking cookies for a decade.
"I started baking around Christmas about 10 years ago, and I had baked 1,000 cookies just for kicks," she said. "But then I had to do something with them; and each year I would make a few more, and I would start to give them away. At one point, people started looking forward to getting them and would tell me I should sell them. So here I am."
Laughlin said all of her baked goods are made with real butter and real sugar.
Even though some people have dietary limitations, everyone always needs "a little bit of gluten and a little bit of chocolate," she said.
"If you're going to eat a cookie, eat a real cookie," Laughlin said.
Aiken County also operates its own Farmers Market, but Spears-Mahoney said for a City running its own market for a second year is "huge for downtown."
"This is another community event that draws everyone out to come do something fun for the summer," Spears-Mahoney said. "People bring their dogs, it's just a family event and just a good, fun evening in downtown Aiken."
The Aiken County Farmers Market is open from 8 a.m. to noon Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays at 115 Williamsburg St.
For more information, visit www.visitaikensc.com, or call 803-644-1902.
Maayan Schechter is the local government reporter with Aiken Standard. Follow her on Twitter @MaayanSchechter.