Crestline’s Heritage Farmers Fresh Market returns this Friday, July 3, starting at 4:30 p.m. and lasting until 8 p.m. in the North Shore parking lot of Lake Gregory.

The market nights will continue every Friday through Sept. 25, weather permitting. There will be artisan booths, as well as fresh fruit produce and vegetables. Heritage Farmers Markets has produced the Friday night fresh markets for the past three years in Crestline.

Popular pre-made food items, such as kettle corn, coffee and nuts, will also be offered. Because of social distancing guidelines, hot food cooked on site will not be served at this time, except from food trucks.

“We are hoping there may be different food trucks coming up the mountain each week for variety,” said Bing Turner, Heritage Farms spokesman.
This year, Crestline’s Fresh Market is being co-sponsored by the Crestline-Lake Gregory Chamber of Commerce to enable the community to have locally available fresh foods.

“We hope this will offer an opportunity to reconnect our community members during these unprecedented times,” said Crestline-Lake Gregory Chamber of Commerce President Louis Boehle. “The Crestline Fresh Market nights should bring out the local residents for both a community bonding experience and family socializing time. It should be fun discovering if we can recognize our friends when they are wearing facemasks.”

Unfortunately, due to the county’s rules prohibiting live music venues, the concerts cannot occur, so there will be ambient music instead.

The artisan booths will have soaps, oils, CBD oils, hand-painted tiles and silks, hand-crafted items, decor and many interesting, useful items from local artisans and much more.

Because of the county’s distancing rules, each booth will be separated from the others by three to six feet. “These techniques have worked well so far this year at the other farmers markets we provide,” said Turner. Vendors will be wearing masks, sanitizing frequently; handwashing and hand-sanitizer stations will be available. Just like last year, no dogs are permitted at the market for sanitary reasons.

Those local artisans who want to be involved in the Artisan’s Marketplace with their unique or handmade items just need to e-mail the organizers at [email protected] or they may contact them through their Facebook page, Heritage Farmers Market or webpage www.heritagefarmersmarket.com.

The Fresh Market does encourage masks and, if customers are not wearing gloves, they encourage the customer to allow the vendor to pick out your produce for you (of course you may point). They recommend produce also be washed when the customer gets it home, for complete sanitation.

Enjoy every Friday evening at Lake Gregory this summer during the weekly Farmers Fresh Market, which is set up in the lake’s North Shore parking lot, with plenty of free parking in the parking lot itself and along the street.

From 4:30 until 8 p.m., the Farmers Fresh Market will have approximately five different produce vendors who bring in fresh-in-season fruits and veggies from local farmers. Find the freshest berries, peaches, citrus and veggies like corn and beans. There will be nuts, berries, caramel corn and more.

Heritage Farms has been operating farmers markets for 10 years. Their other currently operating locations include Victoria Gardens, Chino Hills and Terra Vista Rancho. Don’t miss seeing your friends and neighbors there; entry is free and so is parking.