Opening day for the 2020 Great Bend Summer Street Stroll Farmers Market is Thursday, June 4. Venders will be selling fresh produce from parking stalls south of the courthouse on Lakin Ave. from 4-7 p.m.

The Summer Street Stroll will be open every Thursday, with the addition of food trucks on the third Thursday of each month, but organizers will be taking some precautions to maintain social distancing and keep all of the customers and vendors as safe as possible, said Christina Hayes, Great Bend Community Coordinator.

“It will look a little different,” she said. The vendors will set up in parking spots to ensure a 6-foot distance between them. “We’re just looking at keeping people safe.”

Shoppers are encouraged to wear masks and there will be a hand washing station available for use during the farmers market, said Katelyn Sigler at the Barton County Health Department. “We are still going to follow the guidelines posted by Kansas Department of Agriculture (https://agriculture.ks.gov/docs/default-source/covid-19/farmers-market-guidance-3-31-2020.pdf?sfvrsn=eb8f8fc1_12)."

Organizers plan to post a list of vendors on the Facebook page in the near future and people will be able to contact vendors in advance for pre-orders.

Sigler said 10 vendors have filled out applications and they expect six or seven more by Thursday.

Food vouchers

This year the Health Department will again have vouchers from the Kansas Senior Farmers Market Nutrition Program that low-income senior citizens can use to purchase fresh fruits, vegetables and herbs, and honey. Sigler said her office just received applications for vouchers on Thursday so she will be making those available as soon as possible.

Register to vote

Rose Kelly at the League of Women Voters - Great Bend said League members will be there from 5-6:30 p.m. Thursday, weather permitting, to register anyone interested in voting in the 2020 Presidential election to be held in November.