From left: Brand Lewis of the Diamond City Partnership; Shelby Monk of the Diamond City Partnership; Laura Pszeniczny, Senior Client Manager of Highmark; Katie Kemmerer, Highmark Community Affairs Regional Manager; and DCP Executive Director Larry Newman, pause for a photo to highlight the reusable shopping bags, boasting the Farmers Market Logo.
Courtesy of Shelby Monk | Diamond City Partnership
Farmers Market totes sponsored by Highmark Blue Cross Blue Shield
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Raelyn Snyder, left, of Hoagland Farms in Elysburg makes change for a customer at her stand in this file photo from the opening of the Wilkes-Barre Farmers Market on Public Square, June 30.
Times Leader File Photo
WILKES-BARRE — The Farmers Market on Public Square is nothing short of a downtown institution and has become a seasonal “can’t miss” miss event for locals and visitors of all ages, bringing droves of folks back downtown for a rebound and then some.
And while invigorating downtown is the name of the game, contributing to a greener environment is a welcome bonus.
The Diamond City Partnership’s student interns have been handing out reusable shopping bags since the kickoff of the 2022 Farmers Market season on June 30. Those bags, emblazoned with the Farmers Market logo, are available thanks to the generosity of another downtown institution, Highmark Blue Cross Blue Shield.
DCP Executive Director Larry Newman praised Highmark.
“I want to thank Highmark for sponsoring the reusable Farmers Market shopping bags and making this project possible. The bags aren’t simply convenient for customers. They also help to advertise Wilkes-Barre’s wonderful Farmers Market and its healthy and fresh produce wherever they go,” he said.
Highmark Community Affairs Regional Manager Katie Kemmerer added, “We are proud to continue our support of this very special event in our downtown. Making sure that our neighbors have access to fresh fruit and vegetables is an incredibly important part of building a healthier community.”
During the Aug. 4 iteration of the Farmers Market, which also happened to be the Market’s Veterans Appreciation Day, Kemmerer along with Highmark Senior Client Manager Laura Pszeniczny joined Newman and fellow DCP-staffers Brandy Lewis and Shelby Monk to highlight this cause.
Newman remarked, “Generations of Wyoming Valley residents know that Thursday is Farmers Market Day in Downtown Wilkes-Barre. By making it easier for people to shop and bring purchases home from the Market, Highmark is helping us enhance the tradition.”
The Downtown Rebound is always two or three-fold (or even beyond), of course. The Farmers Market brings people downtown, who may also check out a surrounding business from the central hub of Public Square. The Market also highlights local agriculture, farmers, vendors and various non-profits as well as local musically talent as was the case from the 2022 kickoff until Sept. 1. It’s a multi-beneficial event, like many others such as the Fine Arts Fiesta, the DCP’s Sunsets on SOMA Happy Hour Series (which are headed indoors for the cooler season at the Circle Centre for the Arts) or Cocktails & Culture, Rockin’ the River, and so many others, that brings folks to the Diamond City, to the benefit of all involved.
And with more emphasis on a cleaner, more environmental downtown, that’s all the more to celebrate.
Seeing downtown businesses, residents, and organizations come together in the face of adversity over the pandemic was one thing. To see that continued and even bolstered support is a sure sign of a bright future.
Per the website, the Farmers Market will continue every Thursday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Public Square up until Nov. 17. when this year’s season comes to a close.