Last summer, the Downtown Lima Farmers Market was held in the empty lot behind Old City Prime to accommodate a drive-thru and social distancing. Now, they are back to their normal location in front of the Veterans Memorial Civic & Convention Center in downtown Lima. Market manager Jennifer Fickel says everyone is excited to return for the first day, and this year will bring a chance to incorporate activities again.
"It's great to have a sense of normalcy again. Getting back to where we were a couple years ago, back in front of the Civic Center," Fickel explains. "We've got some vendors that have come back because you know it seems like we're free."
This year's market will also include a few new booths, including one of their biggest sponsors, Mercy Health - St. Rita's Medical Center.
"We are so excited to be a part of the farmers market," says Ann Stiles, Community Affairs Coordinator for Mercy Health. "We are a sponsor and then this year we plan on every week having some sort of education. This week we have weight management, and they are doing healthy snacks with recipes and samples. We plan on doing that every week."
The market runs every Tuesday from 2:30 to 5:30 PM. They will also be continuing their SNAP EBT, WIC, and senior benefits. If you are a vendor interested in joining, message Jennifer on the Downtown Lima Farmers Market Facebook page.
