By DAVID DUPONT
BG Independent News
The Bowling Green Farmers Market is set to open Wednesday with more than twice as many vendors as last year, and a return of food trucks and live music.
And along with the fruits, vegetables, honey, and crafts, the market will offer attendees a chance to get vaccinated.
Lori Hines, a community employment support professional at Work Leads to Independence, said through June 23 the vaccines will be available at no cost with no appointment necessary.
The market will be open its usual hours of 4-7 p.m. Clough Street from Prospect to South Main will be closed off starting at 3:30 p.m.
In 2020, the market, in its first year being managed by Work Leads to Independence, was stifled by the pandemic restrictions.
Hines said she took over as manager of the market midway through its run last year. She was impressed with the way customers adhered to the protocols. “Everybody really followed the guidelines well. … Everybody was very adaptable,” she said.
Now with protocols loosening up, and in consultation with the Department of Health, the market is ready to do business in a more familiar way.
People will still be asked to maintain social distance while in the market, but facial coverings will not be required. Also, there will be no early hours for older shoppers and those more vulnerable. That proved hard to enforce, last year.
Though foot traffic was down in 2020, having Riehm Farm making its CSA deliveries at the market meant there were a steady stream of customers.
Clay Hill, Anderson Farm and Bella Cuisine are other vendors who were good draws. “So often people come to the market because they know they’re going to be there,” Hines said. “They’ve developed a relationship with customers.”
They will be back as will almost all the other vendors from last year and about a dozen new vendors will join them.
Those include a new hot sauce maker Angry Irishman, products made of sea moss, and sun catchers.
“It’s nice not having everyone selling the same thing,” Hines said.
Food trucks are also returning. Manny’s Munchies, Deet’s BBQ, and Lyle’s Crepes will be at the market throughout the season. Also, Outlaw Smokehouse, The Leaf and Seed, and Weenie Dawgs will be on hand some Wednesdays. Belleville Brothers Market will grill pork-a-leans on June 16 as the annual fundraiser for the community fireworks.
Stone’s Throw will sponsor live music coordinated by “Timmy C” Concannon, host of the Hump Day Review.
And starting on May 19 there will be a children’s activity area every second week.
The market provides Work Leads to Independence as a chance to give back to the community as well as exposure. “Some people who come might not realize what we do,” Hines said. And that includes people who have family members who could benefit from WLI’s services.
The clients will be offering the Main Street Cookie Bakery during the market.
The market will offer exposure for other non-profits in the community information tent.
The vendors who have committed are: Riehm Farms; Clay Hill; Anderson Farm Fresh Products; Bella Cuisine; Dirty Feet; Stevens Gardens; Gary’s Kettle Corn; GL Sharpening; Just Jammin; Sobee Honey; Swan Soaps and Scents; Windy Hill; Joseph’s Greenhouse; and 7th Heaven Creations.
Also, Beyond Laser; Angry Irishman; Sunsations “Catch the sun”; Calico Sage Thyme; Teri’s Produce; Sea Moss Gels and Such; Kessler Farms; Black Swamp Hollow Farms LLC; The Bean Water Shop; Victoria Arendt; and Fit Flowers.
