Saturday Market returns to Havre this week

Saturday Market, a summertime local market put on by the Havre Area Chamber of Commerce, returns to Havre Saturday after being delayed for a year due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Chamber Executive Director Julea Robbins said the market runs all the way through the Saturday of Festival Days, which will be Sept. 18. The market operates from 8 a.m to noon at Town Square on the 300 Block of First Street. Food will also be available for purchase.

"Saturday Market has been going on for a long time. We weren't able to hold it last year, but we're bringing it back again this year. We've got many vendors from crafting vendors to produce vendors. Most of the (local Hutterite) colonies come up and sell some produce," Robbins said.

Robbins said typically the event has 35-45 vendors and said vendor registration for the first market this Saturday is still open.

"We've got some local produce vendors and then other things ... and all of the like, at-home businesses, we get a lot of those. But then we also do invite our Chamber member businesses to come down to Town Square, for Saturday Market if they want to just get their name out there, or bring some of the stuff that they sell," she added.

Robbins said, aside from giving vendors a place to sell products, she feels it's a wonderful opportunity for the community to get out and do something, especially when Saturday Market did not take place last year due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

"It was really tough last year, not having it. You know, a lot of vendors did struggle a little bit. Luckily, the mall was able to pick up a little bit of kind of the slack there and they were able to run a show up in their parking lot where they were able to social distance," Robbins said.

"We were really bummed out last year that we weren't able to have our Saturday Market, and I know a lot of both our vendors and our customers were pretty upset about it. So we're glad to be back. And we've got lots of people signed up again this year," she continued.

The chamber asks everyone to follow state and county COVID-19 precautions. Robbins said hand sanitizer will be available. Patrons can wear masks if they wish but Robbins said masks are not required.

"We just ask that people social distance when they can and just be respectful of other people's spaces, and of course, stay home if you're sick," Robbins said

The chamber also asks that people not park in the Wells Fargo Bank parking lot by Town Square.