Hermosa Beach farmers market reopens Friday

When the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health put tight restrictions on farmers markets because of the coronavirus in March, the little Hermosa Beach Friday market, managed by the Hermosa Beach Rotary Club, was hit especially hard.

That’s because the market relied on foot traffic from parents and students from nearby Hermosa Valley School, said Rotary Club president Steve Peterson.

“It cut out quite a bit of our income,” Peterson said. “A lot of what we had were people that came and had lunch at the market, from the hot food vendors. We had the kids after school that bought stuff and then their parents would pick them up and buy stuff. That kind of took away from the market.”

But now the Friday farmers market, at Valley Drive at 11th Street, is attempting to rebound with its reopening on Friday, Aug. 14, from noon to 4 p.m.

To reopen, Peterson said, they still have to abide by the county restrictions including no hot food, picnicking, entertainment or other vendors. They can allow farmers and pre-packaged food vendors similar to Manhattan Beach and Torrance farmers markets.