LEAF Nothing to Chance
Get to final LEAF Open Market before it's gone
Anyone who's ever lived in Erie knows it's officially crunch time — both for leaves beneath our feet and to get in all the outdoor fun we can before the first frosts take hold.
Although the Lake Erie Arboretum at Frontier Park (LEAF) has seen many limbs of its educational and community outreach programming stripped bare this year, they've skillfully managed to shift with the winds through their monthly LEAF Open Markets.
"We were thinking about what we could do to bring the community together and support local business and bring people to the park — which is essentially our mission," explains Jamie Keim, LEAF projects and design manager. "That's sort of how this all came about. It's really been an awesome thing for us."
Unfolding against the beautiful backdrop of Frontier Park, these events had previously served as a sort of "grocery shopping outdoors," says Keim. However, the final Open Market of the year is expanding on that blueprint, featuring not only local food vendors, but various local crafters, jewelers, and artists as well.
Shading toward the side of COVID-19 precautions, Keim says a much larger area of the park will be accessible this time around, with merchants set up both near the Eighth and Seminole entrance and in the "dip" to space things out. As for those vendors in attendance, Keim is excited about the variety and quality of products that will be available. The list includes:
- Majestic Baking Company
- Blooming Valley Farm
- Buona Cucina Oils and More
- Sundae
- Clae Handmade Jewelry
- Post Apples
- After The Fall Ciders
- Sacred Ayla Loose Teas
- Erie Ale Works
- Botanical Creations by Rebecca
- Grounded Print Shop
- Rope and Bloom Macrame
- Blvck Hippie
- Allburn Florist
- She Vintage
- No Dirt Farms
- Ember + Forge
- Flagship City Press
- Pour'd
- Chevy Scents
- Love In Pennsylvania
- Pennello Brush
- Dragon Fly Scents
- Cafe 7-10
- Connie's Micro Greens and Sprouts
Furthering the goals of safety and peace of mind, signs and markers will guide customers through the park to keep foot traffic moving in the right direction, while most vendors will offer some form of contactless payment. In the scenario of rain, the scheduled start time of 9 a.m. will be pushed back in hopes that it will clear up. "If the sky truly opens up and all hell breaks loose," Keim says they will reschedule for Oct. 10.
Either way, it's shaping up to be a 10/10.
10 a.m. to 2 p.m. (pending weather) // 1501 W. Sixth St. // Free admission // leaferie.org
