The Charleston Farmers Market makes a slow return to normal after COVID-19

After a year of restrictions, the Charleston Farmers Market is slowly coming back to life.

Following a shutdown that lasted several months due to COVID-19, the farmers market re-opened in the fall of 2020 with limited vendors and at a limited capacity.

On Oct. 16, more than 81 vendors lined up, ready to sell their products.

A woman who has been selling her jewelry at the market for eight years said that when the market re-opened, she chose not to come back until  COVID-19 improved.

“We took the whole year, we did not have a market last year.”

Vendors have seen an increase in customers as COVID-19 vaccinations have been rolled out. But, re-opening has been slow.

A worker for Annie O’Love’s cookies said that crowds tend to fluctuate, with some weekends being slower than others.

Vendors are hopeful that the cooler weather attracts more customers for the holidays.

One woman has been coming to the market every Saturday for ten years, and without it being open she feels as though “she has left her family behind.”

The market has created a unique community for farmers and artisans since 1989, and many are hoping to see the tradition continue.