Officials in Akron want people to rediscover Main Street after several years of construction. And one way to do that is with a pair of farmer鈥檚 markets this month.
The will be an afternoon market running each of the next two Saturdays, with not only late summer produce 鈥� like squashes and root vegetables -- but also music, arts and crafts.
The market is being organized by J Hudson, who鈥檚 been managing several similar markets in Northeast Ohio for the past decade. He says if this past summer has been any indication, there will be big crowds in Akron despite coronavirus.
鈥淭his has been our busiest season at any of the markets I鈥檝e put on. We鈥檝e smashed our sales from any previous season. What I鈥檝e found is: as long as you enforce a mask regulation, people will come out.鈥�
Hudson adds that social distancing and other precautions will be in-place at the Lock 3 markets.
鈥淲e鈥檙e going to have mask requirements. We鈥檙e going to have one-way traffic. We鈥檙e going to have our vendors set up so they鈥檒l be six feet from the shoppers. We ask that shoppers not touch the produce but let the farmers pick out themselves. The Downtown Akron Partnership and The City are just trying to provide reasons for people to come downtown and celebrate the reopening.鈥�
Main Street in Akron is open again! After several years of construction, shows you what it鈥檚 like. Part 1/4: Hello, roundabout...
— WKSU (@WKSU)
Harvest Mart is part of an informal campaign urging people to 鈥淧icture Yourself on Main鈥� after the construction. A tour of what Main Street looks like now is available below:
Harvest Mart at Lock 3 will be in the heart of Akron鈥檚 , or 鈥淒esignated Outdoor Refreshment Area,鈥� where alcoholic beverages can be purchased and consumed outdoors.
Hudson has been sharing profiles of many of the participating farmers .
