Syracuse Artisans and Farmers Market delays opening

April 30, 2020

By Sarah Wright
Staff Writer

SUMMERTIME STAPLE — Syracuse Artisans and Farmers Market, hosted at Veterans Memorial Park at Crosson Mill, will be adapting to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic with a later starting date, May 23, to keep the public and vendors safe. (File photo) — **SUMMERTIME STAPLE —** Syracuse Artisans and Farmers Market, hosted at Veterans Memorial Park at Crosson Mill, will be adapting to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic with a later starting date, May 23, to keep the public and vendors safe. (File photo)

Syracuse Artisans and Farmers Market will be pushing its opening to May 23 in response to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

Syracuse Parks and Recreation Program Director Darin Lursen noted, “There will be a few changes to the market this year due to the coronavirus. We are going to delay opening day until Memorial Day weekend. We are going to continue to monitor what the governor is recommending for reopening the state.”

In addition to staying up to date on recommendations, Park Superintendent Chad Jonsson stated the park department is also examining methods for managing crowds, noting it will depend a lot on the number of vendors and attendees.

“How do you police the general public,” Jonsson said in terms of social distancing. “It might mean spacing vendors out more. We will be looking at how to bounce (attendees) from booth to booth. We’ll play with it as we go.”

Additionally, Lursen shared there will be no live music this year unless the COVID-19 situation improves during the summer.

The hours will still be from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturdays until Sept. 12, and Lursen added, “Hopefully, we can invite all vendors on Memorial Day weekend and open like normal.”

For information, email Lursen at dlursen@syracusein.org. Follow the Syracuse Artisans and Farmers Market’s Facebook page, www.facebook.com/syracusefarmersmarket, for future updates.