Downtown Berkeley Farmers’ Market Closed Saturday, 4/15/17 – But Open Again 4/22/17

Due to an unpermitted rally and counter-protest in Martin Luther King Jr Civic Center Park, the Saturday Farmers’ Market will be closed April 15, 2017.

The police department has informed us that they expect large numbers of people coming to the park during peak market hours. A similar event on March 4th (March 4 Trump) was unpredictable and resulted in several injuries. It is our goal to create a safe and welcoming environment for all customers, vendors, and staff at our farmers’ markets. Based on the information we have, we do not feel it is responsible to run a market on Saturday the 15th.

The Ecology Center has been working closely with the Mayor, City Manager, and Chief of Police on this issue. They have committed additional resources to try to protect the market, however there is no way for them to fully ensure our safety. 

While this is a real financial blow to our farmers and vendors, we cannot put a price on safety. Please support our vendors by visiting them at our other two farmers’ markets on Tuesday and Thursday, and future Saturday markets. Our market is built on relationships, and this community is very strong. We will be right back the following week. We hope you will be, too.

Stay informed on news from our Farmers’ Market by signing up for email newsletter at ecologycenter.org/FMSubscribe. The East Bay Express and Berkeleyside have been covering Saturday’s rally as well.