Ithaca Farmers Market: Opens for Outdoor season as an
essential grocery outlet with new COVID-19 hours and rules
Winter market is over - which means this Saturday, April 4th, is the traditional “grand
opening” date for the Ithaca Farmers Market outdoor season. While this year has been
anything but ordinary so far, the Ithaca community can still count on the market for their
Saturday groceries.
The market is scheduled to run on Saturdays in April at the Steamboat Landing pavilion,
with shortened hours of 9am-1pm. The pavilion has 88 booths, but this month the
vendor capacity will be capped at 40 - with vendors spaced out in every other booth.
The shorter hours and the empty booths will allow more room for customers to navigate
the shopping area with the suggested 6 feet distance between patrons.
Under Governor Cuomo’s "New York State on PAUSE" executive order, farmers
markets are listed as essential businesses. With permission from Tompkins County
Health Department, IFM has chosen to stay open to provide safe access to healthy food
for the Ithaca community. The market has recently installed touchless paper towel
dispensers in bathrooms for a safer experience, as well as hand sanitizer stations
around the building. They have also outlined on their website the “new guidelines” of
market - including only sending one person per household, and not touching goods
before purchase.
For the last two Saturdays in March, IFM ran their last winter markets outside - helping
to work out kinks for vendors, staff and customers before this weekend. This Saturday
customers can expect to find a variety of farm and food products such as meat, cheese,
eggs, vegetables, fruit, honey, jelly, bread, wine, cider, baked goods, plants, soap and
some prepared food. Eating on premise is not allowed at market during COVID-19, so
all food will be sold packaged to go, to encourage later consumption - and to discourage
people congregating.
Because artisans such as leather workers or potters are not classified as essential
businesses - you won't find your favorite makers at market this weekend. The market
will be posting about other ways to support this group of vendors - including shopping
