2020 Late Fall Market will be online only
The Downtown Marquette Farmers Market (DMFM) will transition back to its Online Marketplace for the Late Fall Market Season. The last in person physical market will be Saturday October 31, 2020. The Late Fall Market will run November 7-December 19, 2020. Customers will be able to start placing online orders on Sunday, November 1, 2020.
“Historically, the Late Fall Market has been hosted indoors at the Marquette Commons, however due to COVID-19 this transition is not feasible this season. Proper social distancing is just not possible with our usual space. Thankfully, the strategic investment with Local Food Marketplace made by the Marquette Downtown Development Authority earlier this year, will allow our market to finish the 2020 season strong,” reported DMFM Market Manager, Sara Johnson.
The Online Marketplace offers the ability to connect local farms with customers, allowing a single purchase that includes multiple producers easily, all in one place. Customers will be allowed to place pre-orders from the online marketplace and pay online. Customers will then be able to pick up their orders on Saturday morning at the Marquette Commons, where the market is usually held. SNAP and Double Up Food Bucks food assistance programs will continue to be accepted. Customers who use these benefits will be able to place pre-orders online and pay in person at pick-up with their benefits. More information about accepted food assistance programs and how to utilize them is available on the DMFM website.
Ordering on the Online Marketplace is easy, but does require pre-planning. Every week customers will be able to place their order starting at noon on Sunday and ending at midnight on Wednesday. Credit card payment is required when placing orders. It is important to note, customers' credit cards will not be charged until Saturday morning. There is a $15 order minimum for customers and a $5 distribution fee. These parameters help keep the market running and fund supplies necessary to fulfill orders. Customers who use food assistance are exempt from these parameters as it is illegal to use food assistance funds for anything other than food.