Tourists filled town Saturday

At 3 p.m. Saturday the sun was still out, glinting off tourists sunglasses and windshields. Hardly a parking space was open on First Street and the sidewalks was thronged with visitors and residents alike.

Coming into town, the way tourists do, up Morris Street, locals, probably, were sitting at tables soaking up the sun at Stompin’ Grounds. Two blocks closer in, a couple were having a late lunch on the Slider Café patio. The tables were full at Santo Coyote’s small outdoor space, too.

Out of towners were browsing and buying at Go Outside and moving in and out of stores up and down First Street.

People mingled about the entrance to the La Conner Brewery. Its outside tables were full, as were Anelia’s up the street. On the Channel side of First, people were sitting on a bench eating ice cream in front of La Conner Coffee. Up the block people and their dogs filled Dirty Biter pocket park.

This was the La Conner of days of yore, pre-pandemic, start of the daffodils blooming, the Chamber of Commerce’s Daffodil Festival come to life.

And when they were done, it was not easy leaving town either. Almost as many cars were headed east toward the roundabout as we coming in for late afternoon shopping and a meal.

It was one of those La Conner tourist season weekend shopping days, the kind town merchants have seen before and count on to be as common as summer sunshine. The tourists are back, just not as often, now, yet.

Signs listing expanded and regular hours of business are now on store and restaurant windows throughout town.

And, the Country Inn will open Friday.