Santa Monica's Farmers Market Requiring Masks During Coronavirus

SANTA MONICA, CA — Santa Monica's Downtown Farmers Market is still scheduled to open on Wednesday following farmers market closures over the weekend due to the coronavirus outbreak, city officials confirmed with Patch. All vendors and shoppers will also be required to wear face coverings or masks as a protective measure amid growing concerns over the coronavirus. The city continues to ask that anyone experiencing symptoms of respiratory illness, including fever or cough, to not visit the farmers market.

The face covering requirement for the farmers market follows a county and city order that all people shopping or working in essential workplaces must wear face coverings, Miranda Iglesias of the city of Santa Monica tells Patch.

"Face coverings are required," Iglesias said. "It's part of the new LA county guidance for if you're going out to a LA County essential business that you have to wear a face covering."

Santa Monica officials had announced a temporary closure for the weekly Main Street Farmers Market on Sunday in anticipation for large crowds and gatherings on Easter. All parks were closed in Los Angeles County over the holiday weekend in part of county's "Safer at Home" Order, which requires that people keep six feet of physical distance between them and prohibits any group gatherings.

“This is a critical week that requires we take aggressive steps like temporarily closing all parks for a day,” said City Manager and Emergency Operations Director Rick Cole. “We’re also reluctantly suspending our Farmer’s Markets because we need people to stay home to crush the curve. Lives of loved ones and the ability to reopen our community both depend on bold action now.”

Farmers markets in Santa Monica offer CalFresh/EBT for low income shoppers and help to support small farmers. Farmers markets will remain open and people can also purchase CSA boxes for produce.

No other Santa Monica Farmers Market closures have been announced. All beaches, parks, bike paths and public trails in Santa Monica and throughout Los Angeles County remain closed during the coronavirus outbreak.

To learn more updates and information about upcoming farmers markets and ways to support farmers, check out the Santa Monica Farmers Market website.

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A post shared by Santa Monica Farmers Market (@smfms) on Apr 13, 2020 at 1:57pm PDT