Mobile Market Retreat

If you would like to register for this event by phone, please call Karen Rehmus at (413) 588-5935.

About this Event

The Hampshire County Mobile Market Retreat aims to bring together all past, present, and future mobile market partners in Hampshire County and the Hilltowns to:

• Grow and strengthen relationships across the county,
• Determine objectives for a county-wide mobile market implementation plan,
• Prepare for future funding opportunities,
• Understand how our work relates to social justice and equity; and
• Identify opportunities for regional collaboration.

Announcing our Co-Conveners: Grow Food Northampton and Hilltown Community Development

As mobile market operators, Grow Food Northampton and Hilltown Community Development have worked hard over the past two years to bring the mobile farmers market vision into fruition in Northampton and the Hilltowns. As members of the Mobile Market Retreat Planning Committee, they have been invaluable partners in bringing this event together. They will play a key role in advancing the outcomes of the Mobile Market Retreat, and Healthy Hampshire is incredibly grateful to have them on-board as co-conveners.

Schedule

The Hampshire County Mobile Market Retreat will be packed with opportunities to learn, share ideas, and plan for the future, including:

• A Featured Speaker: Jessica del Rosario, Director of Community Initiatives, Bureau of Community Health and Prevention, MA Department of Public Health
• Updates on the successes and learnings of past mobile market seasons from operators and customers
• Breakout sessions facilitated by key partners in Hampshire County mobile market work
• Opportunities to give input on our mobile market values and vision going forward

Click here to see the full schedule for the event. A printed program with further details will be available at the registration table on the morning of each day.

If you would like to participate, but can't attend the full two-day event, you can contact Caitlin Marquis at (413) 588-5562 or cmarquis@collaborative.org for guidance on which parts of the retreat to prioritize.

About the Timing of this Event

The Mobile Market Retreat is planned for 8:30 am - 3:00 pm each day on Wednesday, November 6th and Thursday, November 7th, 2019. After much deliberation, the Mobile Market Retreat Planning Committee decided to make this a two-day event in which the timing of each day is roughly equivalent to that of a school day in order to accommodate those with elementary-aged children. While we know you have many competing priorities, the gifts you bring to this work are incredibly valuable to us and we hope you will make every effort to attend as much of the event as you possibly can.

Registration Options

We will provide breakfast and lunch each day, but we are asking those who are able to pay for meals. We have created several different registration options to accommodate many different categories of attendees and reduce payment burden. When you click on "Register," you will see the list of registration options. You can click on the blue word "More" with the downward arrow next to it to learn more about each registration type and decide which one is right for you.

Accommodations Available for Attendees

We are happy to provide any support you might need in order to attend. The registration form will prompt all registrants to let us know about dietary restrictions, childcare needs, transportation needs, and interpretation needs. Those who select the "Community Member" ticket type will also be offered a stipend to honor their time. If you will need any of these forms of support, please try to register by October 30th so that we have time to arrange services.

Transportation and Parking Information

If you are driving: We will provide a parking validation sticker that will cover 4 hours worth of parking in the EJ Gare Parking Garage each day. The garage is located at 85 Hampton Ave in Northampton and parking in the garage costs $0.75/hour. Walking from the garage to the Northampton Friends Meetinghouse may take 5-10 minutes depending on your speed and knowledge of downtown Northampton. Directions from the garage to the venue can be found here: https://goo.gl/maps/AtjMEsppsEjfbHUk7. Northampton contains several other surface lots and metered parking spaces that you are welcome to use at your own discretion, but we will only be able to validate for parking in the garage.

If you are taking the bus: The R44 and B48 will get you closest to the venue, but several other bus lines turn around near John M. Greene Hall at Smith College. It is a 7-10 minute walk from John M. Greene to the venue and directions can be found here: https://goo.gl/maps/79pfXR4pJR6YGJhZA.

If neither driving nor taking the bus is an option for you, please be sure to register by October 30th so that we have time to make other arrangements for getting you to the event.

Refunds and Transfers

Refunds may be requested by October 30th through Eventbrite. If you have paid for registration and you find out between October 30th and November 6th that you are not able to attend, you may email or call Karen Rehmus at krehmus@collaborative.org or (413) 588-5935 transfer your registration to someone else.

Organizer Contact Information

You can contact Karen Rehmus at krehmus@collaborative.org or (413) 588-5935 with questions about registering for the event.

You can contact Caitlin Marquis at cmarquis@collaborative.org or (413) 588-5562 with questions about the event, itself.