The 2020 Mountain Gateway Museum Farmers’ Market will open Thursday, June 4, at 24 Water Street in Old Fort. Please note that the Mountain Gateway Museum and Heritage Center remains closed to the public.
Vendors and visitors to the market will be asked to abide by state health and safety guidelines and observe the “3 Ws”: Wear face coverings, Wash or sanitize your hands often, and Wait/walk/stand six feet apart in line. Hand sanitizer will be provided. No public restrooms will be available, and picnic tables on the museum’s grounds will not be available for use.
The MGM Farmers’ Market operates every Thursday — rain or shine — from 3-7 p.m. through Oct. 1. Fresh, locally grown farm produce, meats, flowers, plants, honey and other products will be available.
Vendor’s Note: All spaces are FREE for local farmers. Vendors can choose to sell from the tailgate of a vehicle, under a 12 x 12 foot tent (provided by the vendor), or on the porch of one of the museum’s two late-1800s log cabins. Spaces will be available on a first-come, first-served basis, but last year’s founding members of the market will retain their same spaces. Vendors will be asked to spread out on the museum’s grounds to better allow social distancing. Vendors also will need to provide their own tables and chairs and make their own sales transactions. Vendor set-up will begin at 2 p.m., and final departure time will be 8 p.m.
Farmers must register in advance with the museum to participate in the market. Registration forms are available on the museum’s website at www.mgmnc.org [u7061146.ct.sendgrid.net] and at the museum on market days.
All vendors will be required to sign a simple contract, as well as adhere to all rules and regulations, including those set by the McDowell County Health Department, the NC Department of Agriculture, and the NC Department of Health and Human Services.
The Heritage Trout Waters–designated creek that flows through the museum property will be open, and visitors are welcome to fish for free in these waters. A food truck will be available on most market days, and live music also may be provided later in the season.
For more information about the 2020 MGM Farmers’ Market or to receive an application for a space, please contact RoAnn Bishop at 828-668-9259 or roann.bishop@ncdcr.gov.
About the Mountain Gateway Museum & Heritage Center
Mountain Gateway Museum & Heritage Center (MGM) is a regional branch of the North Carolina Museum of History in Raleigh and is the westernmost facility in the NC Department of Natural and Cultural Resources’ Division of State History Museums.