Update on the Worthington Farmers Market Outdoor Season

As the weather turns warmer, the children head back to school full time and the virus numbers continue to stabilize or go down, many in central Ohio wonder when other things in our lives will go back to “normal.” Nicer weather also leads many to think of the start of the outdoor farmers market season. The Worthington Partnership, the parent organization of the Worthington Farmers Market, has spent a great deal of time and energy working to keep the market running throughout the pandemic.

 Last year when the pandemic hit and most activities and shops were shuttered, The Partnership quickly pivoted to a pre-order, drive-thru pick-up market to serve our customers. As the pandemic continued, we fine-tuned our operation and eventually moved to a controlled walk-up market in a parking lot. 

Rules governing the safe operations of farmers markets during the pandemic are set by the Ohio Department of Health and Ohio Department of Agriculture. These rules are enforced locally by Columbus Public Health (CPH) and, in fact, each week the Worthington Farmers Market is inspected by CPH. We were unable to host the market in the Worthington historic district last summer because of the following rules: 

 1. Controlling access and capacity to maintain social distancing and 

2. Reserving access during a specific time for people at high risk for complications with the virus

In the event restrictions are lifted, The Partnership is actively evaluating ways to safely bring the market back to its typical location while keeping protocols in place to encourage social distancing. We are working with the City of Worthington to examine the market’s footprint in the historic district in preparation for any changes to the health orders. We are in regular contact with CPH, so that we are on top of the updates coming from the state level. Please be patient with us while we work to understand how restrictions are changing and what requirements for operation will be put forth.

 The Worthington Partnership works closely with the business owners in the historic district and we know first-hand how they are suffering. We understand how crucial the Worthington Farmers Market --and its patrons-- are to the success of our small businesses. It is a priority to safely return the market to the historic district. To do so, we will remain vigilant and must adhere to health protocols to provide the safest experience for customers, vendors, volunteers, and staff. 

 The Worthington Partnership, a 501(c)(3), has a small staff and a modest budget. We rely on many volunteers to provide support personnel to make our market the biggest and best in central Ohio, as well as run many other events and projects we take on. If you would like to join our efforts, we always are in need of hard-working volunteers. 

 We appreciate your continued support of the Worthington Farmers Market. We will keep you apprised of the decisions we make in the coming days as to the location of the 2021 outdoor market. In the meantime, please visit us at our indoor location at The Shops at Worthington Place, 7227 N. High St. on Saturdays from 9 a.m. to noon (9-10 a.m. is reserved for at-risk individuals).