Apr 09, 2020

Coronavirus response varied among Kansas farmers markets

Posted Apr 09, 2020 12:00 AM
Image courtesy Overland Park Farmers Market
Image courtesy Overland Park Farmers Market

OVERLAND PARK, KAN. (AP) — Officials in Overland Park have announced the suburban Kansas City community’s farmers market will not open this weekend as planned in an effort to curb the spread of COVID-19.

City officials announced the markets’ postponed opening on Tuesday under pressure from the public, the Kansas City Star reported. The city had been planning to open the market for the season on Saturday, even as other Johnson County cities decided to postpone their own markets.

The city had made several changes in an effort to address health concerns — including canceling children's events and moving the event to a parking lot to give more space between vendors. But the event draws thousands of shoppers, making it difficult to keep people six feet apart and enforce safety protocols.

The city heard from several concerned residents, especially as the number of coronavirus cases rapidly grows in Johnson County, city spokesman Sean Reilly.

“Despite the efforts we’ve gone through with the safety and health protocols, we still heard from people who were concerned about the health of the public and vendors,” Reilly said. “So we heard them, listened to them and decided we would go ahead and close it.”

Reilly said the farmers market will open after Kansas' stay-at-home order is lifted.