Alpharetta Farmers Market moves downtown

Alpharetta will open its farmers market in the downtown city center area on Saturday with safety measures and social distancing. The market is moving to the Town Green outside Alpharetta City Hall from a smaller temporary location in the parking lot at Urban Hardware store.

The farmers market will have no more than 75 vendors, which is 25 fewer than last year, to allow for more spacing due to the pandemic, a statement said. Tents will be set up on both sides of North and South Broad streets and visitors will be able to walk one-way down each road.

Alpharetta Business Association hosts the farmers market. Its safety measures requires vendors and volunteers to wear face masks. Vendor booth areas will be marked to control social distancing as customers wait in lines, the statement said. And hand sanitizer will be available throughout the market space.

Visitors are encouraged to wear masks and use credit cards or cash apps instead of cash. Dogs are allowed at the event.

“The Alpharetta Business Association has done a good job of implementing health and safety guidelines associated with reducing the spread of COVID-19,” said Morgan Rodgers, director of Alpharetta Recreation, Parks and Culture. “Allowing the farmers market to return to downtown provides a bigger footprint that will improve their ability to promote social distancing and the other guidelines set by the Governor.”