The opening day of the Portland Saturday Market kicked off Saturday in downtown Portland with clear skies, stilt walkers, live street music, hundreds of vendors and food carts.

Founded in 1974 by Eugene residents Sheri Teasdale and Andrea Scharf, the weekly event draws about a million visitors every year over ten months. Vendors are required to sell their own handcrafted items, and together they generate between $8 and $10 million in gross sales annually.

The market has 258 spaces and 400 participants, which keeps the craft and food booths changing each weekend.

Hours are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturdays, and 11 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Sundays until Christmas Eve.

Due to construction underneath the Burnside Bridge, the performance stage will not be available until May.

@markwgraves