When will SLO’s downtown Farmers Market open again? Here’s the latest from organizers
Plans are in the works to re-open the Downtown SLO Farmers Market in a limited capacity — but when and how remains unknown at this point.
The popular event, which traditionally brings hundreds of people to downtown San Luis Obispo every Thursday night, has been on hold for a year due to the COVID-19 pandemic and restrictions on social gatherings.
But organizers aren’t revealing any details of reopening plans, including a potential timeline, just yet.
Downtown SLO, a nonprofit organization with a mission of fostering an economically vibrant downtown, operates the market and made the decision to suspend the event in March 2020.
Downtown SLO held a board of directors meeting on Tuesday that included talks of a potential future rollout of the event.
“The market will come back in a limited fashion at first at limited capacity,” said Downtown SLO CEO Bettina Swigger, adding that no specifics are ready for public announcement.
“The market will take place in and around the parklets,” curbside spaces set up for outdoor dining, she said.
California allows farmers markets to remain open in all counties with modifications to protect against the pandemic, regardless of the county’s tier of coronavirus restrictions under the state’s Blueprint for a Safer Economy, according to the Los Angeles Times.
In 2020, the state Department of Food and Agriculture put out a three-page guide on how farmers markets can best operate safely. Swigger said last year that Downtown SLO would use that as a resource for safe operations.
The guidelines include booth spacing and limiting the number of patrons.
City of SLO will collaborate, address continuing parklet program
The city of San Luis Obispo is also collaborating with Downtown SLO to help bring Farmers Market back in a limited fashion.
“The timing is still under review at this point depending on the discussions and the status of the COVID-19 situation,” said Lee Johnson, the city’s economic development manager. “Downtown SLO manages the Farmers Market program and will be the source for future updates as we progress through the process.”
Johnson said the current parklet pilot program runs through June. However, the city is looking to return to the San Luis Obispo City Council soon to request approval to extend the program further, potentially through the end of the year.
“In turn, staff is evaluating the logistics and feasibility of a potential permanent parklet program post-COVID and plan on bringing that proposition to the City Council later in the year,” Johnson said.
This story was originally published March 9, 2021 at 3:37 PM.
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