Troy Farmers Market To Remain in Riverfront Park As Rules Relax And Festival Vibe Returns

TROY (7/20/21) -- The Troy Waterfront Farmers Market will be staying at its William D. Chamberlain Riverfront Park location for the foreseeable future.

In previous years, the popular Saturday market has transformed several city blocks to attract as many as 15,000 people on peak days to Downtown Troy.

“The board recognizes that having downtown Troy’s beautiful streetscape as our setting is what has helped establish our market as a regional attraction, and we intend to return to the streets,” said TWFM Board President Zack Metzger. “But for the time being, the board has decided that the park is where we are going to be.”

Metzger said the market has received a lot of positive feedback from customers who appreciate how the market has been safely laid out and operated in the Riverfront Park location, providing essential access to local food and produce during the COVID-19 pandemic. The Board has also heard requests to move back to the street from customers and local merchants. All these comments were considered as the market decided to stay put for now, looking to maintain a consistent location for the season that can be easily adjusted to any future changes in COVID-19 guidance for essential and large gatherings.

How Did The Market End Up In The Park?

In March 2020, COVID-19 precautions put the indoor winter market on pause. In May 2020, the market re-opened outdoors with a limited number of vendors in a private parking lot owned by Russell Sage College. In June 2020, the City permitted an expanded outdoor farmers market in the Front Street parking lot adjacent to Troy’s Riverfront Park. All CDC, state and local regulations and guidelines were strictly followed.

For the 20/21 winter season, the market remained outdoors for an extra month before relocating in December to the former Price Chopper building in Lansingburgh. With uncertainty over the availability of the Atrium due to redevelopment plans and challenges in maintaining social distancing in that building, the Troy Waterfront Farmers Market felt it prudent to secure a different location with more space, better access and an easier customer flow.

This April, the market headed outdoors one month earlier than usual, returning to Riverfront Park. The market followed all the CDC, state and local regulations and guidelines, including continuing one-way customer flow, requiring masks and maintaining social distancing. The number of participating vendors increased this season to more than 80. Attendance increased to 6,000 people, during the 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. market hours.

“As the CDC and the state have relaxed COVID-19 regulations and guidelines, we have been able to relax our rules,” Metzger said. “If you’re not fully vaccinated, we ask that you wear a mask. Otherwise, masks are not required. Our one-way flow remains, but we have added more cut-throughs and backtracks to make shopping easier.”

Metzger said the market will continue to relax the rules in accordance to CDC guidance where possible. He cautions that COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations are on the rise again, due to the Delta variant impacting both vaccinated and unvaccinated people. Only about 60 percent of the Capital Region has had at least one vaccination shot. According to news reports, coronavirus cases have increased by nearly five times in the Capital Region during the past two weeks.

“We simply cannot afford to move the market up to the streets only to have to relocate again if COVID-19 Delta variant cases begin to surge and regulations are reintroduced,” Metzger said. “So for now, we ask that the community at-large respect our decision to remain put and to still focus on the health and safety of our community as we provide essential access to fresh local food and products.”

Revive The Vibe

The market will continue to re-introduce the festival vibe as appropriate. Community tents are back. Musical performances play out over the market from the overlooking staircase. And well-behaved dogs are once again welcome at the market.

“We may be back in a parking lot this season, which is where most farmers markets occur,” Metzger said. “But our lot is within a park on the Hudson River, next to an expansive amphitheater and only 100 feet from River Street and all of the shops and bars and eateries of downtown Troy. We are accessible by bicycle, bus and boat. So we’re still unique in the region.”

Working With Brick And Mortar Shops

TWFM has also been working with community liaisons to better connect the current market location to the adjacent Downtown streets and further encourage customers to visit the nearby shops and restaurants.

The market offers one free vendor booth space per Saturday to downtown retailers interested in hosting a popup shop showcasing their business to market customers. Merchants should email promotions@troymarket.org to request a date.

This Saturday’s featured vendor is Butterfly Plant Studio, specializing in potted house plants. Butterfly Plant Studio is located at 1809 Fifth Ave, in Troy. For information visit https://www.butterflyplantstudio.com.

Check for Updates

For updates and to sign up to the Troy Waterfront Farmers Market email newsletter, visit: https://www.troymarket.org

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