Locals can shop at the modified Chattanooga Market "essentials only" edition beginning on Sunday, May 24. In an effort to connect farms and food artisans to the consumer during the COVID time, Chattanooga Market has slowed its opening and will begin to phase-in with this revised version.
It is an imperative time for farms as seasonal crops are becoming ready to harvest. And the delay has been hard overall on Chattanooga Market, its vendors and the organization as a whole, said officials.
"It's a double-edged sword," said Chris Thomas, executive director of Chattanooga Market. "We need our patrons to shop, and support us/our vendors, but we need them to space out and not all come at the same time. This is not a typical opening weekend—and can't be."
The revised dates and times will be Sundays, not Saturdays as previously planned, beginning May 24 from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. to provide a more moderate time of the day for shoppers. The bulk of the (smaller) Market will be made up of farms, food artisans and body essentials. There will be a very limited number of artisans that rotate each Sunday.
Masks are recommended and shoppers are asked to follow social distancing and all other CDC guidelines. Absolutely no pets will be allowed. Some take and bake meals will be available, but there will be no onsite dining. Public Markets (organizers of Chattanooga, Collegedale and River Market) are hopeful that the more social, larger aspects of the Market will return later this summer.
Simultaneously, the Collegedale Market runs every Sunday also from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. and is currently open. The format for this market is also essentials-only and is held outdoors at The Commons.
Further information can be found at ChattanoogaMarket.com.