CHANGING THE NARRATIVE DOWNTOWN
Part of our mission is to incubate small businesses. We hold 2 ongoing events each year: First Friday and our wonderful Farmers Market. First Friday is meant to showcase our Downtown and the businesses we already have - although it seems few - they are the landing spot for locals and tourists to shop. By incubating small vendors and allowing them to be a part of our Downtown commerce, we are hopeful they will grow into a small business and occupy and grow our Downtown!
First Friday is a colorful, energetic event focused on bringing families and friends Downtown. Join Businesses, Nonprofits, local Organizations and an eclectic array of Local Artisans, Food & Beverage Vendors and Live Music and Entertainment beginning in June each year. We believe not only will First Friday be an avenue by which to re-energize our Downtown, but also provide an evening of fun family time and a sense of community.
The Downtown Crescent City Farmers & Artisans Market runs every Wednesday, June through October - rain or shine.
Over the years we have had a smattering of farmers from Del Norte (and beyond before California became strict with regulations) attend our market, but for one reason or another Ocean Air Farm is our one farmer the has stood the test of time. Committed to continual growth they have invested again and again in our community and have been our only local source for produce.
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We realized over time we could do that with our potential ‘backyard’ farmers as well. We created a Co-op table for Backyard Farmers to come try their hand at selling at a Farmers Market. The Divas hold the business license, provide tables and chairs, and for a nominal fee ($4) allow locals with extra carrots, plums, kiwis, apples and any produce they’ve grown to come try it out. They get 2-3 co-op days to try it on, and our hope is to move them into a regular vendor spot selling their produce and working towards potentially becoming a true local farm.
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We love pets but can’t have them at the FARMERS MARKET, it’s the law! State, county, and municipal codes prohibit pets within a certified farmers’ market. Farmers’ Markets are considered food facilities like grocery stores and restaurants. Trained Service Animals welcome! Sorry, Emotional Support Animals (ESAs) and Therapy Dogs are not ADA Service Animals. Some of our customers who require trained Service Animals have expressed frustration that fraudulent Service Animal claims are negatively impacting their ability to participate in our markets, putting their trained service animals at risk, and further contributing to discrimination. We have received multiple requests to more strongly enforce the law. Please respect the needs of our customers who require trained Service Animals. Fraudulently misrepresenting Service Animals is a misdemeanor.According to the ADA (ADA.gov):“The ADA defines a service animal as a dog that is individually trained to do work or perform tasks for people with disabilities. … Service animals are working animals, not pets. The work or task a dog has been trained to provide must be directly related to the person’s disability. Dogs whose sole function is to provide comfort or emotional support do not qualify as service animals under the ADA. “Under the ADA, service animals must be harnessed, leashed or tethered, unless these devices interfere with the sevince animal’s work or the individual’s disability prevents using these devices.” “When it is not obvious what service an animal provides, staff may ask 2 questions: 1) is the dog a service animal required because of a disability, and 2) what work or task has the dog been trained to perform.” “A person with a disability cannot be asked to remove their service animal from the premises unless: 1) the dog is out of control and the handler does not take effective action to control it, or 2) the dog is not housebroken.”