(BLOOMINGTON) – Following Mayor John Hamilton’s August 13 announcement of the reopening of the Farmers’ Market on August 17 after its two-week suspension, the Bloomington Parks and Recreation Department is sharing plans for welcoming vendors and customers back to the Saturday morning Market at Showers Common.
This week, Market visitors may park for free in the Morton Street parking garage at the corner of 7th and Morton Streets. Drivers should take a ticket upon entering the garage, and bring it to City Hall during Farmers’ Market hours for validation.Â
Several parking lots surrounding the Farmers’ Market will also offer free parking on Saturday. Visitors may park in the West Lot, immediately west of City Hall and south of 10th Street; in the Showers Red Permit Lot north of City Hall; and in the IU EM-S lot on Morton Street between 9th and 10th Streets. In addition, the City has made the grass lot at the corner of 11th and Rogers Streets available for free parking during Farmers’ Market hours on Saturday. The grass lot is accessible from 10th Street. Accessible parking will be available on Morton St. (accessible via 10th St.) and in the West Lot near Info Alley.
Partial closure of streets surrounding the Farmers’ Market will allow for extended Market boundaries to provide more and safer pedestrian access to the Market. The following streets will be closed during Market hours, between 8 a.m. and 1 p.m. on Saturday:
- Morton Street between the entrance to Smallwood Apartments and 7th Street
- 8th Street east of the entrance to the Cook Clinic to just east of the B-Line Trail
- 7th Street between Morton and Madison Streets
As part of a new City initiative, volunteer Market Ambassadors in Farmers’ Market T-shirts will greet visitors, assist with Market operations, answer questions such as where to find an ATM or how to purchase Market Bucks with SNAP benefits and offer guidelines for setting up in Info Alley.
“We are grateful to the volunteer Market Ambassadors whose love of the Farmers’ Market has inspired them to come to share their passion for food, community, and the things that bring us together, with others,” said Paula McDevitt, administrator of the Parks and Recreation Department. “Market Ambassadors will be a visible presence in the Market throughout the day, and will be both a resource for visitors and provide assistance to staff to keep the Market running smoothly.”
Fans of the Market who would like to be considered for a Market Ambassador role may apply online at https://tinyurl.com/marketambassador.
A variety of live entertainment is planned on the circular stage for Saturday’s reopening:
- 8 a.m. – 1 p.m. Naturalist at Market with nature interpretation for all ages
- 8:15 a.m. – 9:30 a.m. Derrick Weidner (country, folk, pop, and alternative)
- 9:45 a.m. – 11 a.m. Curtis Cantwell Jackson (acoustic jazzy pop)
- 11:45 a.m. – 12:45 p.m. John Kogge & Dave Sharp (Americana folk and blues)
The City continues to turn to the community for input into creating a safe, inclusive, welcoming, and enjoyable experience in this popular Bloomington venue. Members of the public are encouraged to share ideas about the market in any of several ways:
- Complete a brief online comment form at bloomington.in.gov/market-faq. The form may be submitted anonymously.
- Fill out a comment card at the front desk inside the City Hall atrium.
- Contact the Office of the Mayor at mayor@bloomington.in.gov or (812) 349-3406.
All submissions will be reviewed by the Office of the Mayor and the Parks and Recreation Department, and considered in the process of formulating solutions.
For more information about the Bloomington Community Farmers’ Market, visit bloomington.in.gov/farmersmarket, email farmersmarket@bloomington.in.gov, or call (812) 349-3700.
