Galt got an early dose of St. Patrick’s Day on March 4 with the first Saturday Market of the year. The monthly program started its second series of markets with earlier hours and added attractions.

In keeping with the St. Patrick’s Day theme, a city booth offered paper leprechaun hats for children to color, as well as cabbage bowling. The CaliCeltic band performed music with a mixture of Irish and Californian flavors.

Many people came out in the morning ahead of rain that arrived after noon. They perused booths from local vendors offering handicrafts, clothes, food and flowers. Trinkets ranging from pottery to vintage toys to scrap-metal animal sculptures filled the new antique area.

“We kind of stop and look at everything,” said Crystal Thomas when describing how she explores the market with her sister and young nephews. She said she and her friends have bought items like crystal jewelry and succulents on past visits. Her nephews were on the lookout for toys.

City staff expressed satisfaction with the vendor turnout: Out of about 96 vendors that had signed up, a dozen bowed out because of rain. The remainder left plenty of booths to check out.

Good memories of visiting the Galt Market with her mother are what persuaded Keturah Gibson-Greene to bring her selection of plant medicines to the market. Her business, Calypso Moon Essentials, was at every Saturday Market last year.

“I always felt like the Galt community was really welcoming and really kind, and the people here are just nice,” Gibson-Greene said.

The Saturday Market program began last year as a pilot program testing the viability of weekend hours for the Galt Market. Galt City Council members have generally been complimentary of the market’s performance and approved the second series late last year.

Parks and Recreation Director Armando Solis said the next Saturday Market, on April 1, will feature the city’s Touch-A-Truck event, with vehicles from the city, fire department and other agencies for children to climb in.

“Our citizens have really come out and supported us, and I’m excited about that.”

The Saturday Market continues on the first Saturday of the month through November, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., on the Fourth Street Promenade. For more information, visit the market’s webpage, cityofgalt.org/SaturdayMarket.