“It  looks like it came from Germany, maybe Switzerland.”

My son, Jack, should know, he’s spent most of the last two years working over there. The 2-foot Christmas tree decorated with what looked to be carved wooden ornaments was in the arms of a man carrying it to a car. It was close to noon on Saturday, the tail end of the Conimicut Village yard sale with more than 40 participating residents. Jack and I made a swing through the neighborhood to get a sense of the event. Shawomet Avenue, where at least a half dozen residents displayed everything from pots and pans to paintings and paddle boards, was transformed into a midway. People crisscrossed in front of slow moving cars with drivers and passengers scoping out items of interest. The mood was upbeat and friendly. Residents were renewing acquaintances or, as happens, looking to make a deal.

We turned onto West Shore Road to soon encounter parked cars on both sides of the road. The attraction was the farmers market that opened in May and will carry on through September. The market is open on Saturday mornings. I know the market was a disappointment to some expecting to find a wide selection of locally grown produce as soon as it opened. For starters there’s not a lot of vegetables in May — you don’t get tomatoes or eggplant until August — nor are there a lot of Rhode Island farms.

Conimicut Village Association President Leslie Derrig, spark plug behind the market with the help of Colleen Collins, has made it easy for vendors to be a part of the market. She has found sponsors of the event including, among others, realtors, an insurance broker and individuals George Shuster and George and Jane Tarring. The association is faced with the cost of a peddlers’ license and insurance. It also will be making a donation to “Toyin” Wilcox, owner of the Village Restaurant that she plans to open shortly. The restaurant parking lot has been the site of the market.  Clearly, the market as well as the village-wide yard sale is aimed at bringing people together. It’s not a money maker, nor is it intended to be.

“The CVA is not looking to make money,” Leslie said in a call Sunday between cleaning out her garage from her own yard sale.  So, what is she looking to do?

“We’re looking to build a village.”

 She’s got more planned.

This Friday night as she said in a social media post, “join us as we say goodbye to summer and welcome to fall.” What’s planned is “music in the Village” at the corner of Allard and West Shore Road from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. when keyboardist Ken Boisclair will play music from the ’50s, ’60s and ’70s, as well as some country, pop and old standards. Leslie expects people will gather on both sides of West Shore Road and on Allard Street to enjoy the vibes. But there’s more to it than bringing people together. She will also be bringing in customers to local restaurants.

Introducing more businesses to Conimicut is one of her priorities. She has identified six vacant storefronts available for lease or sale and is working with realtors. What she feels the farmers market has demonstrated is that people will spend their money locally.

More events are on the schedule. She and CVA co-chair Susanne Jordan have lined up 20 artists for the village art festival planned for Oct. 5. As of Sunday, Leslie was uncertain as to where the festival will be held on Beach Avenue, final approval from the Board of Public Safety was pending. And then there’s the annual Spooktacular this fall and even more is planned around Christmas. Leslie has got big plans.

“We want to make it a happy place and clean,” she said of Conimicut. Keeping it clean is a team of volunteers. The hanging flowers and potted planters that beautify the village have been made possible through grants to village fundraising.

“They’re all having family times,” Leslie said of village activities, adding they are free.

My son Jack was impressed. He doesn’t remember the village being as vibrant growing up and then after spying the Christmas tree purchase, he suggested the tree and much more could reappear at next year’s giant neighborhood yard sale…a perpetual event.