Last year was abnormal for many people and places due to the pandemic, and the local farmers markets around town were no exception. But now, as the weather warms up and plants start to thrive, this seasonal shopping event is back to its somewhat normal form.
While some public safety protocols remain in place (like social distancing and staying home when feeling ill), others (like wearing masks outside) have been lifted. Because the rules seem to be constantly changing, Kelly Miller, market manager for Real Farmers Market — which includes venues in Highlands, Louisville and Erie — said she is preparing the vendors and staff to be ready to change things up as needed depending on state and city ordinances.
“My take on all this is I am going to open cautiously and carefully, and all vendors will have masks on hand,” said Miller, who added that as of April 26 masks at the market weren’t mandatory, and there also isn’t a cap on how many people could wander around at the same time. “We are given permission to walk about freely again, and I want to reintroduce this safely so we can do what we do, which is move local food, so letap make that happen.”
While Miller plans on her farmers markets to be more open than they were in 2020, the Boulder County Farmers Markets (BCFM) remain more stringent. This means that the Longmont, Boulder and Union Station locations will require masks and social distancing, and there will be no live music or chef demos, no food sampling and a limit of two people per party is requested. But this year, guests can expect more vendors, and reservations are no longer required (though you can still make them).
“As the threat of COVID-19 decreases, we will relax restrictions in concert with public health guidelines and customer preferences,” said BCFM executive director Brian Coppom. “We also look forward to bringing back merchandise and Market Bucks soon.”
While things could change for farmers markets over the next few weeks, there’s still plenty of excitement to kick off the season. From fresh-baked bread to crisp produce, grass-fed beef to perfectly ripe fruit, the main reason that farmers markets exist in the first place remains strong.
OPEN NOW
Boulder Farmers Market (Saturdays)
Open: Saturdays from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m., through Nov. 20
Things to know: Masks required; one-way flow of foot traffic; a limit of two people per party requested; credit cards preferred; no pets allowed; no eating food on-site
Features: Located next to Boulder’s Central Park; around 60 vendors weekly; monthly artisan shows
Location: 13th Street between Canyon Boulevard and Arapahoe Avenue, Boulder
Longmont Farmers Market
Open: Saturdays from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m., through Nov. 20
Things to know: Masks required; one-way flow of foot traffic; a limit of two people per party requested; credit cards preferred; no pets allowed; no eating food on-site; social distancing requested
Features: Plenty of parking; around 60 local vendors weekly.
Location: Boulder County Fairgrounds, 9595 Nelson Road, Longmont
OPENING SOON
Cherry Creek (Saturdays)
Open: Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., May 1-Oct. 30
Things to know: Masks not required but encouraged; vendors spaced for social distancing; group limit of 10; touchless payment options encouraged
Features: Free parking, dozens of vendors
Location: Cherry Creek Shopping Center at 1st Avenue and University Boulevard
Boulder Farmers Market (Wednesdays)
Open: Wednesdays from 4 p.m. to dusk, May 5-Oct. 6
Things to know: Masks required; one-way flow of foot traffic; limit of two people in a party requested; credit cards preferred; no pets allowed; no eating food on-site
Features: Located next to Boulder’s Central Park; around 60 vendors weekly; monthly artisan shows
Location: 13th Street between Canyon Boulevard and Arapahoe Avenue, Boulder
Union Station Farmers Market
Open: Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., May 8-Oct. 23
Things to know: Masks required; one-way flow of foot traffic; a limit of two people in a party requested; credit cards preferred; no pets allowed; no eating food on-site; social distancing; parking limited
Features: Itap in downtown Denver; around 25 vendors
Location: Denver Union Station, 1701 Wynkoop Plaza
Southlands Farmers Market
Open: Saturdays from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m.. May 8 to end of September (depending on weather)
Things to know: No mask requirements; social distancing encouraged
Features: Mixture of local produce and handicrafts
Location: Southlands Shopping Center, E-470 and Smoky Hill Road, Aurora
South Pearl Street Farmers Market
Open: Sundays 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., May 9-Nov. 14
Things to know: Booths spaced for social distancing; hand sanitizer at the entrances and information booth; sampling of foods available; masks not required; crowd size will be monitored inside the market
Features: Seats for eating; dozens of vendors; four entrances (one at South Pearl Street and East Iowa Avenue, one halfway down the block on South Pearl Street between East Arkansas Avenue and East Florida Avenue, and one on the east and one on the west sides of Florida Avenue)
Location: South Pearl Street between East Iowa Avenue and East Arkansas Avenue
Parker Farmers Market
Open: Sundays from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m., May 9 to the end of October (depending on weather)
Things to know: No mask requirements; social distancing encouraged
Features: Mixture of local produce and handicrafts; more than 100 vendors; located in historic downtown Parker
Location: 19565 Mainstreet, Parker
Erie Farmers Market
Open: Thursdays 5 to 8 p.m., May 13-Sept. 9
Things to know: Masks not required; social distancing recommended; no live music; contact-free samples available
Features: Good for kids; twice as many vendors as last year; smaller market
Location: Briggs Street between Wells and Moffatt streets, Erie
City Park Farmers Market
Open: Saturdays from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m., May 15-Oct. 30
Things to know: Replaces the former City Park Esplanade Fresh Market; masks and social distancing encouraged
Features: A new market with focus on local food; more than 10 farms, 13 sauce stands, and food trucks; located next to City Park
Location: City Park Esplanade at East Colfax Avenue and Columbine Street
Louisville Farmers Market
Open: Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., May 15-Oct. 9
Things to know: Masks not required; social distancing recommended; no live music; contact-free samples available
Features: Lots of new vendors, flowers and plants
Location: 824 Front St., Louisville
Highlands Farmers Market
Open: Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., May 23-Oct. 10
Things to know: Masks not required; social distancing recommended; no live music; contact-free samples available; no booze tent; parking can be difficult
Features: Around 56 vendors, lots of them new; baked goods; take-away food stalls and food trucks
Location: Highlands Square at 32nd Avenue and Lowell Boulevard
Stanley Farmers Market
Open: Fridays from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., May 29-end of August
Things to know: No mask requirements;, social distancing encouraged
Features: Mixture of local produce and handicrafts; located next to Stanley Marketplace
Location: 2501 Dallas St., Aurora
Golden Triangle Farmers Market
Open: Sundays from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., June 6-Sept. 26
Things to know: Dogs allowed if on leash; masks required; one-way foot traffic flow; social distancing barriers
Features: Mixture of flowers, handicrafts, local produce and prepared foods, and seasonal pop-up vendors
Location: 1115 Acoma St.
Arvada Farmers Market
Open : Sundays 9 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., June 6-Sept. 26
Things to know: Parking can be tricky; masks recommended but not enforced; social distancing encouraged
Features: Located in Olde Town Arvada; you can walk around with libations; vendors sell a mix of produce, handicrafts, packaged goods and prepared foods
Location: 5700 Olde Wadsworth Blvd., Arvada
Cherry Creek (Wednesdays)
Open: Wednesdays from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., June 16-Sept. 29
Things to know: Mask not required but encouraged; vendors spaced for social distancing; group limit of 10; touchless payment options encouraged
Features: Free parking; dozens of vendors
Location: Cherry Creek Shopping Center at 1st Avenue and University Boulevard
