Photo by Sarah Bennett
After five months in a small transitionary space on North Pine, the displaced Downtown Long Beach Farmers Market is re-opening this Friday at a new, larger location in the city-owned lot on 3rd St. and Pacific Ave.
Harbor Area Farmers Markets, a nonprofit that runs six certified farmers markets in the region, worked closely with City officials to locate a space where the Downtown market could more permanently operate after it was unexpectedly kicked out of the City Place shopping center in July. In the interim, the market was being held in a small privately owned lot on Pine Ave. between 6th St. and 7th St., but because of the space restraints, some of the vendors–as well as the entirety of the independently operated craft fair–were unable to join.
The latest move brings one of the city’s oldest farmers markets back to its former glory with room for all 20 of the growers and 14 lunchtime food vendors that were present prior to displacement. The craft fair continues to be present only at HAFM’s Sunday market in Alamitos Bay.
“We are thrilled to be back on city property where we have more space and more trees, with all of our farmers and food vendors back in business,” said Market Manager Dale Whitney, who added that due to community requests, Lonnie Noffsinger, a.k.a. Lonnie the Watch Man, will also be returning to the market.
To assist with financial losses incurred by some of the vendors during the interim, HAFM also announced this week the creation of a Farmer and Food Artisan Relief Fund, which will give its first $1500 to Mabel’s Pralines, which was a casualty of the temporary move. Throughout the transitional period, the market’s sales were also sluggish and HAFM plans on allocating $5000 a year to the fund. Applications are accepted and reviewed on an ongoing basis.
“We were doing okay as an organization in spite of our transition,” said HAFM Board President Joel Colbert, “but our farmers and food vendors were suffering. We wanted to help.”
As for the timing, we hope to be in that lot for a while, but understand that demolition will eventually start on the state building adjacent to the parking lot. We’ve heard varying timelines through the grapevine, but nothing concrete..
In honor its official grand re-opening on December 20, the Downtown farmers market will have a few additional amenities such as artistic holiday gifts featuring Long Beach-based artists and an author table where local writers will sell their books.
A noontime program will also include a free produce drawing and a live Christmas tree giveaway courtesy of JW Goodson’s Salon, followed at 2PM with a second free produce drawing. Local musicians are scheduled to perform throughout the day and the First Congregational Church, located across Cedar Ave. from the market, will host a live holiday music open house during market hours.
The Downtown Long Beach farmers market runs every Friday from 10AM to 3PM in the parking lot on 3rd St. between Pacific and Cedar avenues. Free parking is available at the City Place parking structures one block east of the location.
Read more:
- City Place Cancels Downtown Farmers Market Effective Immediately
- UPDATED: Downtown Farmers Market to Temporarily Relocate to North Pine
- Relocated Downtown Farmers Market Lives on at Temporary Location
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