Farmers market hosts day of entertainment July 4

Two national artists will be part of the program Saturday when Vancouver’s Farmers Market celebrates the Fourth of July with 10 hours of entertainment.

The cancellation of this year’s Fort Vancouver fireworks show also erased a day of entertainment from the local calendar.

Vancouver’s Farmers Market will pick up the musical side of things with free performances on the stage at Esther Short Park from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.

"We thought it was an opportunity to give back to the community," said Debbie Whitman, president of the farmers market. "It happened that the park was available and the city was willing to let us use it.

"Normally the market closes at 3 p.m., but quite a few vendors will remain set up until 8," Whitman said.

The farmers market is partnering with "Safe and Sound," a national campaign based in Vancouver that benefits wounded veterans and their families.

Musical groups include The Slim Jims, Ruby Hill, Johanin, Shadows Awake, The Thirsting, There She Goes, and Mother Joseph and the Altar Boys.

"Most of the acts between 10 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. are regulars at the market," said Jim Mains, a spokesman for Safe and Sound. On Saturday, they’ll get to perform on the Esther Short Park stage.

The Safe and Sound campaign, which is sponsored by local music company Uncharted Waters, will present two national recording artists Saturday evening. Natalie Pinkis and former "American Idol" contestant Lana Phillips, who recorded a duet with Willie Nelson for Safe and Sound, are the center of the benefit campaign.

Vancouver’s Don Campeau, a former member of The Lettermen, will perform with Mother Joseph and the Altar Boys.

"The other members of the band all really were altar boys with my son at Our Lady of Lourdes," said Campeau, a founding partner of Uncharted Waters and a co-producer of the Saturday event.

The entertainment will be filmed by Vancouver videographer Bob Pallotta and will be aired on a Portland-based music video service, on digital subchannel KORS 16.2.

There also will be children’s activities and representatives of nonprofit groups at the park.

While the Esther Short Park presentation will fill some of the holiday slack, it is not a place for pyrotechnics, Whitman said.

"No fireworks," the farmers market president said. "You can go home and then do fireworks."