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Cooking demonstrations, kids' activities and musical entertainment are on tap for the 10th year of the Yakima Farmers Market starting Sunday.

"It's going to be bigger and better than ever before, that's for sure," said Victor DeLong, a Yakima attorney and vice chairman for the Farmers Market Board. "We're trying to ramp it up some."

The market will now feature monthly cooking classes where chefs, caterers and other food aficionados will make dishes with local produce.

"We want to give people a new reason to come down and get something yummy," DeLong said. "We figured we have all this great produce there, let's teach people some good things to do with it."

Balloons, games and crafts will be showcased on the third Sunday of each month for Kids' Day, DeLong said, and the Central Washington Agricultural Museum in Union Gap will regularly display tractors and other farm equipment.

A special, two-day celebration is also planned July 19-20 for the market's anniversary, DeLong said. During that weekend, Alex Willson and the Blue Tropics will perform, and event organizers will unveil the world's largest wooden nickel.

"It's now 13 feet, 4 inches," DeLong said about the current record holder. "I thought, hell, we can beat that. We've already started the planning stage."

About 61 vendors have signed up so far, said Market Manager Don Eastridge. Because of the cold weather, the market will sell asparagus, greens and onions for the first few weeks. But that will change as the season progresses, Eastridge said.

"If anything, we'll have more farmers because we have high-price gas," he said. "I don't think people will travel as much."

Potters and painters will display their wares this year, and if an influx of vendors come forward, the market may expand half a block south to the post office annex, Eastridge said. Traditionally, South Third Street from Yakima to Chestnut avenues has been closed each Sunday to stage the market.

Elsewhere in the Valley, farmers markets in Prosser and Ellensburg opened last weekend, while the one in Goldendale will kick off the season today.

Farmers markets in Central Washington

* Yakima Farmers Market -- 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Sundays through Oct. 26 in front of the Capitol Theatre, 19 S. Third St. Features fresh produce, baked goods, arts, crafts and entertainment.

* Prosser Farmers Market -- 8 a.m. to noon Saturdays in Prosser City Park, Seventh Street and Sommers Avenue. Info: 786-9174, www.prosserfarmersmarket.com.

* Kittitas County Farmers Market -- 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturdays in the Wells Fargo Bank drive-through parking lot at Fourth Avenue and Pearl Street in downtown Ellensburg. Info: 888-925-2204, www.ellensburg-chamber.com.

* Goldendale Farmers Market -- 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturdays at 903 E. Broadway. Info: 773-3400, www.goldendalechamber.org.

* The Roslyn Sunday Market opens June 15 and will run from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Sundays through Sept. 7 at First Street and Pennsylvania Avenue. Info: 649-2695.