Food, music light up Blue Moon market

The draw: free-range chicken wings, organic beef burgers and fresh squash, eggplant and peppers, hot off the grill. Ivan Jones provided his signature Ivan of the Ozarks barbecue rub for the meat and vegetables. Red beans and rice, tofu curry and brownies rounded out the meal, which was on the house.

"We appreciate you coming out," market manager Frank Rebiejo told people as they filed by the grill with their plates.

The wind was little gusty at times, but Joanne Sorn of Between the Rivers Nursery thought ahead, and only brought potted plants that wouldn't blow over. Kerry and Gina Thompson of Twisted T Farm took down their canopy. Jon, Kaylynn and Benjamin Toombs of Homestead Farms had their canopy poles weighted down with sandbags. Strings of red peppers swung in the gusts like a wind gauge.

"When the peppers are straight out, we shouldn't be here," Jon joked.

Among the visitors were Travis and Kathy Aston of Bristow, Oklahoma, who were celebrating their fourth wedding anniversary, and Linda and Marc Strickland from Destin, Fla., taking a break from a five-state trip. Jack and Linda Jacobs from Wichita, Kan., said the fresh vegetables right off the grill were amazing.

"Natural texture, a little rub, not overcooked," Jack said.

This is the first Blue Moon Farmers Market, a blue moon being the second full moon in the same month. And the moon did appear, according to DJ Steve Mahanay, who provided music for the last half of the evening. Ozark Flavor, a string band, played for the first half, which started at 6 p.m. at the Pine Mountain Village parking lot on Highway 62 East.

"The weather was just perfect, very dramatic and breezy so people hung around for long time," Mahanay said. "It was a great evening and many people where asking when the next night market would be."

Patrice Gros of Foundation Farms was giving away produce as a way to thank people for supporting the market.

"When you give something to somebody out of the blue, you get a burst of energy," he said. "I'm probably getting the better end of the deal."

The Eureka Springs Farmers Market operates Tuesday and Thursday from 7 a.m. to noon at the Pine Mountain Village parking lot.