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- 🌅 🥕 Tradition Market Is Winning the Weekend
🌅 🥕 Tradition Market Is Winning the Weekend
☀️🌱 PLUS: 5 new restaurants on Gatlin, Market showdowns, and fire risks—here’s what’s happening.
Sunland News
March 31, 2025
Good Morning, Sunland
It’s Monday… And it’s the last day of March. Q1 is officially over. And to me, this part of the year always feels a little slow. But before we know it, summer will be here.
🚨 Big News: I made some pretty major upgrades over the weekend to the Sunland Events site. You can now:
Filter by event type
Save events into a clipboard
Click to open directions in Google Maps
If you find it helpful, share it with a friend. I’m really trying to make this the best event board in the county.
✨ Also Cool: The City of PSL is offering free tax help for anyone making under $67K a year. Details here.
🌡️ Weather Update: Hot, humid, and a little stormy to close out March
☀️ Day: High of 85°F | ⛅ A mix of sun and clouds with a 30% chance of a thunderstorm.🌙 Night: Low of 67°F | 🌤️ Partly cloudy
🌅 Sunrise: 7:12 AM | 🌇 Sunset: 7:38 PM
🎵 Sounds like: “Sunshine” by Mos Def ☀️🎶
Ja’Min Devon
🍋 The Main Squeeze:
🍇 Market Wars
Okay, so I’ve been watching this for a minute now—and I think it’s time we officially talk about it.
Let’s call it what it is: Market Wars (jokingly of course).
Every weekend, different parts of the county are trying to be the go-to for fresh food, handmade goods, and that weekend crowd.
You’ve got the Fort Pierce market downtown on Saturdays (split between food and artisan), the MidFlorida Event Center market in PSL, the one over in St. Lucie West every other week… but then there’s the Tradition Market.
And honestly? It’s in another league.
✍️ The Rebrand: Now rebranded as the Neighborhood Farmers’ Market at Tradition Square, this thing is packed every Sunday from 9 to 2. Katherine Castillo, who runs it, also opened a full-on Market Store last year—so vendors can sell during the week too.
And just last week, they announced a new partnership with WPBF 25, making the station the exclusive TV sponsor. That kind of exposure doesn’t just happen. It’s a huge boost for local vendors, and a sign this market is growing in a serious way.
💬 Why It Matters: These markets aren’t just little weekend hangouts. They’re driving real traffic and money to small businesses. Booths go for $60–$80, and hundreds of people come out to shop, eat, and support local.
👀 Been to Tradition Market lately? Think another one’s better?
🗳 Drop your pick here → Tell me what you think
📍 Or catch them live every Sunday at Tradition Square.
🍊 The Press Round: New Strip! New Name! New Worries!
🌱 Thrive IRC: New Name, Same Mission
Formerly the Substance Awareness Center, Thrive IRC is expanding its impact with a new name, new space, and the same commitment to healing.
🍽️ 5 New Spots Hit Gatlin Blvd. in PSL
From hand-rolled tacos to soul food and artisan coffee, a wave of new restaurants is reshaping Southwest Port St. Lucie’s dining scene.
🔥 Martin County Residents Worry Brush Fire Could Reignite
A 188-acre fire near Palm City is fully contained, but dry weather and wind have residents—and firefighters—on alert for flare-ups.
Join the Mission and support Sunland News and help fuel the goal of delivering smarter, faster very, very local news that keeps you informed on what’s unfolding here.
💡 Why it matters: Your support allows me to keep St. Lucie County informed and engaged through the daily Sunland News newsletter—and sets the stage for tackling bigger, in-depth reporting projects in the near future.
🎁 What’s in it for you: Exclusive updates, behind-the-scenes insights, and other perks as we grow (bookstore and otherwise) this community together.
🍋 Refill: Fatal Brightline Crash in Downtown Fort Pierce
A man was killed Thursday night after being hit by a Brightline train in downtown Fort Pierce, near Avenue A and Depot Drive. Police say the train was headed north, sounded multiple horns, and still made impact. His name has not yet been released.
It’s the latest in a string of Brightline-related fatalities on the Treasure Coast, including recent incidents in Vero Beach, Jensen Beach, and Stuart.
At the same time, Brightline is planning a $60 million station in Stuart—though local officials there are now clashing over the deal. Some have floated Fort Pierce as an alternative station location.
💬 Why It Matters: As the region considers expansion, safety is still a major concern. High-speed trains require high-level infrastructure—and recent incidents have sparked new questions about how ready the area really is.
Got thoughts on this? Let us know here → Your thoughts
🎉 This Week Around Town: Your Monday–Friday Gameplan
Monday, March 31
🧘 Sunset Yoga at The Gardens – Outdoor yoga in a serene botanical garden setting—$10 for non-members. | 6 PM–7 PM | $10 | Details
Tuesday, April 1
Wednesday, April 2
🍷 Wine Down Wednesday at Side Door Brewing – Unwind with $5 glasses of wine every Wednesday night. | 5:30 PM–9 PM | $5+ | Details
Thursday, April 3
Friday, April 4
🎉 Friday Fest with Operation CatSnip – Meet local rescue advocates and enjoy music, vendors, and fun downtown. | 5:30 PM–9 PM | Free | Details
If you have an event, send it to me here
💧 The Last Drop: 🏢 County Playbook for the Week!
📚 Library Events All Week
From storytime and gardening tips to coding basics and bilingual crafts, St. Lucie Libraries have free programs running all week long. 👉 Full Library Calendar
🌱 Earth Day Festival – April 12
Celebrate Earth Day at Oxbow Eco-Center with live music, dance performances, and wildlife education. Family-friendly fun from 10 AM–4 PM.
👉 Event Details🎭 Sunrise Theatre Camp Filling Up
Three summer workshops are available for kids at Sunrise Theatre. Spots are going fast—sign up early!
📸 This is Sunland: Free Library!
Photo by Darius
Quick reminder that I’m still hard at work on the Sunland Bookstore. The amount of work involved certainly hasn’t surprised me, but it has made me appreciate all the effort it takes to create something great. In the meantime, there’s a free library outside with some excellent books. If you’re in the area, stop by and grab one! Alright…
See you tomorrow!
With Love, Ja’Min
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