Western Colorado Outdoor Markets — Summer 2020

Featured in the Summer 2020 issue of Spoke+Blossom

Late-spring starts the annual outdoor market season. These open-air gatherings include vendors of all kinds, live music, arts, crafts and many unique offerings from local community members. However, this year the uncertainty about the safety of farmers’ markets during a pandemic has made many question whether or not this annual tradition will continue. Fortunately, many wonderful market managers are working diligently to ensure the community stays safe and connected. Whether you’re looking for fresh produce or hoping to support a local farmer, here are some markets in Western Colorado that are taking great steps to maintain a safe, welcoming space this summer.

Photos by Zach Mahone

Aspen

Beginning June 13, the Aspen Saturday Market will return to downtown Aspen with new social distancing guidelines. Open from 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m., the market offers Colorado-grown fruits, vegetables, breads, meats, jams and more as well as a food court for lunch or a snack. Enjoy live music while you peruse the local jewelry, ceramics and art for sale. After Labor Day the Saturday Market hours change to 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. While the Market is dog-friendly, the asphalt gets extremely hot in the market and pets should be left at home to avoid burning their feet. aspenchamber.org

Crested Butte 

The Crested Butte Farmers’ Market will open as scheduled every Sunday through October 11, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Elk Avenue. The market will offer hand washing and sanitizing stations for customers, eliminate sampling, increase vendor spacing and add a senior shopping hour every week from 9 to 10 a.m. for vulnerable citizens.  They are also working on developing an online marketplace with quick pick-up or delivery options for those that cannot attend the market. The Thursday evening market is back for 2020, from July 2 through August 27 from 3 to 6 p.m. in Cranks Plaza (right next to Old Rock Library). cbfarmersmarket.org

Durango

The Durango Farmers’ Market has been open since May 9 with great success so far. As of this publication, they are only offering food products, but hope to include all of their regular vendors by the end of the summer. Food products include hot, ready-to-go items, which will be served in to-go containers, but there will not be benches or places to gather inside the market. Booths will be spaced over six feet apart and the market will have specific entrances and exits to help regulate the flow of customers. At each entrance there will be hand-sanitizing stations and social distancing markers, allowing customers to form safe lines. The market is on Saturdays from 8 a.m. to 12 p.m. through October 31 (with a 9 a.m. start in October). durangofarmersmarket.com 

Fruita

The Fruita Farmers Market is open from June 20 to September 19 on Saturday mornings from 8:30 a.m. to 12 p.m. The Fruita Farmers Market takes place at Reed Park, located at 250 S Elm St. The market will host both agriculture and handcrafted vendors. The market layout will encourage one-way traffic in an effort to promote social distancing. Vendors are required to wear a mask and customers are encouraged to wear masks at the market. Hand sanitizer will be readily available. No sampling allowed. 

The Fruita Farmers Market will be participating in online ordering for curbside pickup in an effort to ensure the market can still provide access to people that do not feel comfortable being in public yet.  We will also be operating under guidelines developed in partnership with Mesa County Public Health and other Grand Valley markets to ensure that vendors can adhere to the same requirements across the Grand Valley. fruitafarmersmarket.org

Glenwood Springs

Glenwood’s Downtown Market plans to open June 23 on Tuesdays from 4 to 8 p.m. There will be fewer vendors in attendance, since they are only allowing produce and other food-related vendors. Like the Durango Market, this includes hot, to-go food. Each booth will be spaced six feet apart. Those operating the booths will be the only ones allowed to handle the produce, in order to limit the potential contamination of the food. glenwoodmarket.com

Grand Junction

The Market on Main will take place each Thursday from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m., July 9 through September 24. Due to social distancing guidelines, they will limit the number of people that will be allowed at the market at one time based on the square footage of the location for the event. Downtown GJ strongly encourages all attendees to wear a mask while at the market and might even have some for sale. Additionally, they are working through the logistics of providing handwashing stations for vendors, attendees and staff. All vendors and staff will be required to wear masks and practice social distancing while at the market. In addition, samples of any kind will not be given. At the moment, the market will be primarily agricultural-based with limited vendors outside of that realm. As the season progresses, markets may be allowed to include more artisans, home goods, food trucks, etc. downtowngj.org/events/

Gunnison

Gunnison’s market hopes to open Saturday, June 13 from 9:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Their hours remain the same and they aim to be flexible and open minded this season. They are focusing on food products, like produce, meat, baked goods, jams and pickled goods and ready-to-go food, in order to accommodate for space. But they will also have soap sellers and a jeweler who has been with the market for 10 years now. The proceeds from jewelry sales will go back to the farmers’ market where they are donating food to families in need. There will be no live music. People are encouraged to come get what they need, but not to linger. There will be one entrance and exit to help control the flow of traffic, as well as hand washing stations throughout the market. Follow their Facebook to stay in the loop. 

Minturn

The Minturn Market will be a smaller, scaled-back market this year, focused on local vendors and businesses, and adhering to all social distancing and other requirements to keep the community and visitors safe. This free, family-friendly market runs Saturdays, July 4 through September 5 from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. The Minturn Market is held in the heart of the town and showcases local artisans, crafts, businesses, prepared foods, farmers, and provides an opportunity for Eagle County visitors, residents and business owners to partake in locally produced goods and foods of the region. minturn.org

Montrose

The Montrose Market is open every Saturday from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. through October 31. They have expanded their outdoor market to occupy three locations across the street from one another in downtown Montrose, providing vendors and customers with more space to spread out. Each vendor is required to wear masks and many have hand sanitizer at their booths, in addition to the stations spread throughout the market, for people to use. The Montrose Market has made space for art vendors and music to accompany the food producers. There is also a bathroom with running water that customers will have access to. The city is working diligently to keep that bathroom as clean as possible. montrosefarmersmarket.weebly.com

Palisade Sunday Farmers Market

The market opens Sunday, June 14, from 9:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. and runs through Sept. 20 on Third and Main Streets in downtown Palisade. It is opening with a variety of safety precautions: they have limited vendors to mostly essential vendors, which means they’ll have 34 vendors selling farm products such as eggs, lavender, butter, cheese, honey, meats, breads, jams, jellies and other farm products. They’ll have two wineries and vendors selling packaged or bottled foods such as kimchi and popcorn. They will also have three food trucks selling to-go items and a drink truck to keep people hydrated. All of Palisade’s vendors and market personnel will wear masks and are encouraging customers to wear them as well — two vendors will be selling face masks and hand sanitizer stations will be scattered through the market. The Sunday market will have two entrances this year: one at Kluge Avenue and Third Street and one at Main Street and 2nd Street. There will be a one-way path through the market, although customers are welcome to loop around each branch of the market or around the entire market. To maintain social distancing and one-way traffic flow, dogs are not allowed this year.

To help vulnerable customers and vendors who cannot start in the market, they are launching an online app called What’s Good and are in the process of adding a variety of vendors and products. The online market will be up and running by Monday, June 15 and people will be able to order products through noon on Friday, June 19, and pick them up on Sunday morning at their drive-through location at Kluge Avenue and Third Street. Vendors and products will be added as the season continues. townofpalisade.org/market 

Ridgway

Ridgway Farmers’ Market offers a safe outdoor shopping experience due to their small community, which has the advantage of minimal crowds, open spaces and conscientious vendors. Like many other markets, they are reducing vendors to essential food producers only, but this may change as of June 19. A unique aspect about Ridgway is that the first hour the market is open is designated for seniors and immunocompromised shoppers, providing time for all to get the local foods they need. They have implemented directional shopping and removed live music, seating and samples. All health standards and guidelines for food safety are being followed. Vendors wear masks and gloves, have minimized contact with customers and operate cashless as much as possible. The market is every Friday through October 9 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. ridgwayfarmersmarket.com

Telluride 

The Telluride Farmers’ Market will be open June 5 through October 9. This season will only include food and medicine vendors. The market features high-quality produce, animal products and prepared food from San Miguel County. All of the goods offered are produced within 100 miles of Telluride. The market is Saturday on South Oak Street from 10:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. thetelluridefarmersmarket.com 

Vail

On May 12, the Vail Farmers’ Market & Art Show announced they would be having a virtual market this season. They will offer curbside pick-up and shipping options for shoppers via an online experience opening June 14, with pick-up available on June 21. For this pick-up date, orders must be placed by June 18. The online storefront will then open each Monday for pick-up the following Sunday. The virtual storefront will feature more than 100 vendors including produce, meat, fish, cheese, local artisans, clothing and Meadow Drive Vail Village businesses. Additionally, the Vail Farmers’ Market is also working with the Vail Valley Salvation Army to support those in the community who are food insecure — customers can make donations at checkout. They hope to open a physical market sometime in July. vailfarmersmarket.com

Last updated June 12, 2020.