Photo courtesy of Stephen Mintz
Fernandina Beach Market Place
By Judie Mackie
June 18, 2020
The Fernandina Beach Market Place has been running splendidly with the new Corona virus safety protocols in place and we are looking forward to bringing you another fantastic farmers market on June 20, 2020. As more and more vendors become ready to return to the market, this Saturday you can look forward to fresh squeezed lemonade from Lemon Sensations, and Mike’s Mad Jerky is returning with his deliciously flavored beef jerkies. Rose’s Unbelievable Egg Rolls returns with her pork, chicken and vegetable egg rolls, shrimp wraps, and pot stickers, and Amelia Naturals is back with her foot reflexology massaging candles. In addition to these wonderful vendors, our weekly regulars will return with wide varieties of fresh baked breads and pastries, seasonal vegetables, soaps and bath bombs, plants, succulents, and hanging baskets. There will be sauces, dressings, and spreads, dips, garlic, and oils, spices, salts, and prepared frozen meals. Just about anything you could imagine, and plenty that will surprise you will be on hand at this friendly farmers market.
The Market Place is open from 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. every Saturday of the year, rain or shine. We hope you will feel safe joining us as these are the steps we are taking to help keep our neighbors safe:
-Admission will be limited to 250 people at a time. Only groups of ten people or less can be admitted and you must maintain physical distancing of six feet apart.
-The market will have designated one way directional signage.
-All vendors will be wearing mouth and nose coverings if they are dealing with the public.
-Hand sanitizer will be available from our vendors and market management has placed some at both ends of the farmers market.
-Please DO NOT touch any products. Let our vendors handle their products, produce and samples.
-Samples, where available, will be strictly regulated by the vendor.
-Areas that are frequently touched will be disinfected throughout the day.
-Extra distance will be added between our most popular vendors to permit six foot distancing between waiting customers.
-Vendors will be monitoring their own body temperatures, and NO ONE is permitted to enter the market if they have had a temperature of 100.4F or above during the week prior to Saturday.
Public restrooms are located at Central Park and at the Comfort Station at the foot of Centre Street. Well behaved, leashed pets are welcome. For more information, please find us on Facebook at AmeliaIslandMarketPlace.
I am glad the farmers market is now open, but don’t be fooled that all the pandemic protocols are being followed. Last Saturday some vendors and most customers were not wearing masks, and many customers were certainly not practicing the 6-foot social distancing protocol, which is almost impossible given the narrowness of the walk lanes and the closeness of the vendor booths. As far as well-behaved pets, one dog jumped on my leg and scratched it, and the owner angrily blamed me for getting too close to him. I don’t mean to sound like an old curmudgeon, but at my age I must take the protocols seriously, and I was disappointed in the farmers market press release versus the reality of being there. Still, our farmers market is a real gem in our community, and I will continue supporting it and shopping there.
How a dogs owner can blame you for their lack of control of their dog is beyond me. I’m a dog owner & how my dog behaves is under my control. If my dog is kept on a short leash and beside me, as ones dog should be at an event like this, there’s no way for my dog to jump on anyone. Sounds to me like someone’s lack of personal accountability regarding their dog! Sorry that happened to you and you’re not a curmudgeon for being personally responsible for your health & well being! Stay safe & healthy.