Patrice LeBlanc, Central City. Mayor Jeremy Fey is excited about the launch of the new Levit Street Market, the newest attraction in Central City, Colorado. He came up with the concept in 2017 and made it his first initiative as Mayor when he was elected in 2018. The Central City council turned down the proposal at the time, but Mayor Fey persevered and gained the support of Council to approve the market in 2021. 

Fey decided the best place to hold the farmer’s market style event was on Levit Street at the crossroads of Lawrence Street and Gregory Street. He contacted the realtor of the property, Ray Varela and asked to lease the property for community purpose. The owner approved the request and Fey gained sponsorship from the Bates Hunter Mine and the Central City Business District. Central Presents, LLC is the event organizer. 

Some improvements need to be made to the property to get it ready for the summer, including removing the barriers to gain parking access, leveling out the area for vendors and bringing in gravel. The weather has been hampering these efforts which pushed back the original opening date of May 2 to May 9.

Vendors committed for the season range from produce from The Holistic Homestead, a Gilpin County Co-Op and wellness center, to rescue pets from Charlie’s Place (Clear Creek Animal Shelter), with other cottage industry food producers, artisans, antiques, and local souvenirs. There will also be a food truck provided by JKQ BBQ, and live music from local artists starting with Robby Wicks and an array of other performers. Further offerings include a Swap Meet element, where all comers may bring portable goods to exchange with whomever they choose by whatever currencies they choose, trade, crypto, shekels, any and all.

Mayor Fey feels a need for energy coming back to the community after the pandemic and would like to see the market grow to over 25 vendors and a crowd of 400 people. He is looking forward to having an outdoor space where the community can gather and have a good time. Fey stated, “We are psyched to be able to offer a great experience for our residents and visitors alike, in the form of a vibrant market. Anyone who travels knows there are few things better than local markets, where you can really get to know locals and their customs. Our goal is to showcase Central City and Gilpin County vendors, all receiving free vendor space thanks to the generosity of Bates Hunter Mine and the Business Improvement District, to the thousands of weekend visitors coming to the area. Mountain City is where it all began in 1859, and we’re honored to be adding one more layer of history to these grounds!”

The Levit Street Market will run every Sunday, May 9 through October 31,2021, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Vendors will get free space for the summer. Contact Kristi Spierling at kristis@levitstreetmarket.com for more information. 

(Originally published in the May 6, 2021, edition of The Mountain-Ear.)