Farmers Market opens Thursday

News-Register file photo

The McMinnville Farmers Market will open Thursday, May 6, with fresh vegetables, baked goods and other items from local purveyors.

First Baptist minister the Rev. Erika Marksbury will ring a bell to open the market at noon.

The market will be open from noon to 6 p.m. Thursdays through early October, at First and Cowls streets. Masks and social distancing are required.

Sixty-two vendors will participate this year. Several food trucks also will be on hand.

Booths will fill Cowls Street between First and Second and the McMinnville City Hall parking lot as well.

McMinnville First Baptist Church will offer its parking lot to accommodate expanded space needs, said Chloe Rasch, market manager.

This is the farmers market’s 21st season.

Last year, in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic, the market started out using a pre-order, drive-through model for its first two weeks, Rasch said. Later, vendors set up their booths at least six feet apart and shoppers could go from booth to booth, making their selections, but the drive-through model continued successfully, as well.

Rasch said it’s a relief to be able to kick off the market in a more traditional way this year.

She said she hopes to bring music back to the market soon. “It always adds to the market’s festive feel,” she said.