Scottsville Midweek Farmers' Market 2020 Season Update April 9, 2020
Hoping that this finds all of our customers, vendors, corporate advertisers, our hosts and community groups who provide meals for the market healthy and safe. As Easter approaches and we start to see definite signs of spring, I met with the Market Advisory Committee via Zoom last night to make a decision about how to proceed with the market for the 2020 season.
We're traditionally in the thick of market preparations at this time of year. Recruiting vendors, appealing for corporate advertisers, scheduling our meals and entertainment for each week and working up our advertising for the year. We had planned to have a vibrant market season this summer: June 3 -September 30. However, we did not realize that we'd have to factor in the Corona Virus Pandemic which affects everything involved in our operation.
With Gov. Cuomo's Executive Order in place now, farmers' markets are allowed to operate, but cannot serve meals, have entertainment or have any vendors who sell non-food products. We also can't have any places to sit together and would have to encourage a quick "run in and pick up" visit from our customers. There is also the issue of when our wonderful hosts at the Legion, will be able to reopen.
The good news is that we absolutely broke even in our fund-raising effort last year! The bad news is that even if we have a shorter season this year, our expenses are the same. The Chamber of Commerce has been willing to back us if we fall short of our goals, but since their main fund raiser in May was canceled, they have limited funds. We decided that it was unfair to ask area businesses for corporate advertising and individuals for fund-raising dollars when many of you may not be working/pulling in any income and we have no idea when this PAUSE period will end. We also decided that it would be unfair to our vendors to ask for a commitment because, although they would have to institute and monitor many safety precautions, we don't know how this will affect customers' comfort level for attending.
The committee felt that we should make a decision to cancel the 2020 season now to allow you all to regroup for this summer. We are committed to opening in June of 2021 with a big reopening celebration. We're hoping that you will all come back and be involved in 2021.
Sincerely, Marcy McCall, Manager & Advisory Board Members: Susan Church-Jamesson, Geoff Woerner, Dave Principino, Deb Fitts and Jean Dombroski