^{_{Thumbnail photo courtesy of Del Norte & Tribal Lands Community Food Council.}}

The Wednesday farmers market will be under new management and in a new home when the season starts this June.

Crescent City councilors gave their blessing to the Del Norte and Tribal Lands Community Food Council to move the Downtown Farmers & Artisans Market to the old Bank of America parking lot at 2nd and H streets for the 2025 season.

“I just want to encourage everybody that in the Bank of America parking lot, there is great potential, great growth for that farmers market,” said Cristina’s Mexican Restaurant owner Claudia Hooper, who was a neighbor to its previous 3rd and K street location. “And an opportunity for a lot of people, who we don’t necessarily think of, that will be able to use that farmers market.”

During the start of its 2024 season, the downtown market, then operated by the Downtown Divas, was set up at the parking lot adjacent to the Del Norte County Library at Front and K streets. But due to the active construction along Front Street, the Divas determined it could no longer continue in that location, according to the city staff report. 

“That was the plan again this last year; that [the market] would stay there,” City Manager Eric Wier said. “Although it was quickly determined — based on the construction of Front Street, the impacts with construction equipment, and the detour and people getting around — that wasn’t going to be a suitable location.”

In August, the downtown market relocated to the parking lot on the corner of 3rd and K streets. Its season in this new location worked well, bringing more people into downtown and the 3rd Street corridor, according to the city staff report. But there were concerns among the impacted businesses in Mason Mall, one of the biggest being parking for businesses such as Lisa McKeown’s State Farm office and Cristina’s Mexican Restaurant.

“I did find it difficult for Cristina’s, ” said Lisa Mckeown. “I felt like, as a patron, it was either disrespectful [or] poor planning to put a Mexican food truck in front of her Mexican food restaurant. And then it took up five of her parking spots? You know, I’m her comrade. We’ve been anchors at Mason Mall.”

Last year, the Del Norte and Tribal Lands Community Food Council began operating the market with the Downtown Divas. The Community Food Council will be the sole operators of the market starting this upcoming season.

“The Downtown Divas had limited time due to them all running their own businesses and felt like it was time to let go of management,” CFC Food Program Director Andrea Lanctot told Redwood Voice Community News. “Rather than the Downtown Divas hire a part time market manager, this past year the CFC managed the market.” 

“The Food Council is really excited to become the new Farmers Market managers,” CFC Food Program Manager Iya Mahan told the council. “We have been working closely with the city staff to find a good location for the market. The temporary location at K and 3rd street in the clock tower parking lot was really well-received, not only by our vendors but by farmers market patrons. People never found us on that Front Street location, and all of a sudden we were front and center.”

“The new location was viewable from Crescent City’s main traffic down 3rd Street, 101, and community members visiting other businesses in the vicinity, such as Grocery Outlet, ” said Lanctot. “The market also then had access to working power which it did not have at the original market spot, allowing food vendors to plug into power vs. using generators.”

During the fall, the CFC worked with the city council to find a new location after receiving input and concerns from local businesses like Cristina’s and Lisa Mckeown’s State Farm. Many vendors still wanted to stay at K and 3rd, but chose the Bank of America parking lot as their second choice, according to Lanctot. 

According to Weir, possible locations within downtown that were discussed included the parking lot between H and I streets along Front Street, a portion of Front Street next to Beachfront Park, and the preferred Bank of America parking lot. 

Councilmember Jason Greenough asked what the issues were with the Front Street location, since the city is currently trying to revitalize Beachfront Park and better utilize it for the community. The biggest reason the CFC isn’t choosing that location is due to the continuing construction that will close the street during the summer, according to Mahan and Lanctot. 

“Last year, where we were in our original spot, we didn’t get moved and we didn’t realize that the construction was going to be so close,” Lanctot told the council. “And our vendors got impacted with dust and construction materials. So we didn’t want to pick a spot, this coming year, to be close to the construction that will be happening. Otherwise we would have been open to it potentially.”

There are many positives that come with the Bank of America location, Wier said, such as its proximity to downtown apartments and the potential to expand the market area into the street. 

“Between Christmas and New Years, the CFC and city staff went to every business around the Bank of America lot to talk to them about the potential of the market moving there,” Lanctot told Redwood Voice. “We explained to them that it could impact parking on surrounding streets for their customers during the market hours and none of them felt like it was going to be too big of an impact.” 

“It was quite refreshing to visit the surrounding businesses before making any decisions to get their feedback on the proposed location, ” Mahan told Redwood Voice. “Overall, there were big smiles and gratitude for the farmers market with excitement to have the farmers market as their neighbor.”  

“We’re in full support of it, ” said Mckeown. “I want the market to thrive. I did see it thrive in our spot. I did see more patrons. How would I know? Because I go out there Wednesday to get my food…I want the market to survive. I do hope and pray it survives somewhere else.”

There was pressure to decide on a suitable location for this year’s farmers market, according to Lanctot. In order for the CFC to apply for an EBT permit and Food System Number, which is used for the market’s identification, they must provide the location of the market. 

“We are here today with urgency, as we are doing all of our paperwork to get the market ready to be open in June. And having the location is super crucial to apply for our Food System Number…that allows us to accept the EBT and provide the Market Match for our market. So we would like to move forward with this Bank of America parking lot location,” Mahan said. 

Through their Farmers Market and EBT certification, the CFC can accept Food Stamps and use a grant from the Ecology Center for its Market Match program, which matches up to $20 for fruits and vegetables for EBT clients. 

A couple steps need to be taken before the market is ready for its June opening. Mahan emphasized the need to improve infrastructure so that there is access to electricity, as well as ADA-certified portable toilets being placed for vendors and patrons. Gray water disposal for temporary food facility permit vendors and prominent signage to point people to the market were also things that need to be looked into, according to Mahan.

Ideas for signage placement were brought up by the council and Mahan, such as placing signs off Highway 101, on 3rd Street, and at the new market location. Councilmember Candace Tinkler said she thought that once people learn where the market is, they will come.

“Maybe as a creative opportunity,” Tinkler suggested, “all of us in this room should be thinking about what would be some fun, creative ways that we can really get the word out.” 

The council agreed that they would go ahead with the Bank of America location for the 2025 Downtown Farmers & Artisans Market season, but will revisit the decision in a year when Front Street construction is finished. 

The market runs from the first Wednesday in June through October. Those interested in becoming a vendor can call the DNATL Community Food Council’s office at 707-460-1606.

For more information on the CFC, visit their website www.dnatlfoodcouncil.org.