LAST BETHESDA

CENTRAL FARM

MARKET AT

BETHESDA ROW -

EVER!

Popular Farmers Market Moves to

Bethesda ES Parking Lot April 1

Another Robert Dyer @ Bethesda Row Exclusive!!!

Today's Bethesda Central Farm Market in the Elm Street parking lot from 9-12:30 will be the last ever at Bethesda Row.

Boo!

Not to worry, however: Next Sunday, April 1, the BCFM will move to its new weekly location, the ample parking lot of Bethesda Elementary School. For out-of-towners, Bethesda ES is located at the corner of Arlington Road and Wilson Lane. Vehicles can enter from Arlington Road. In addition, you can ride the Bethesda Circulator over that way.

The main reason for the move, is that Woodmont Avenue - between Bethesda and Miller Avenues - will be closing for a couple of years, starting in about two months. This closure is necessary for the construction of two new mixed-use buildings on soon-to-be-former public Parking Lots 31 and 31A.

Engineers with the Montgomery County Department of Transportation have advised that traffic will be more congested than ever in the Bethesda Row area. Traffic patterns will change, and drivers will be frantically searching for parking spaces in the vicinity. Because the BCFM is in a parking lot, and also generates its own traffic, the decision was made to move to Bethesda ES, to better accomodate the safety of pedestrians, drivers and cyclists around Bethesda Row on Sunday mornings.

Two other benefits, are that parking will be free and easy at the new site, and there will be plenty of room to add new vendors, entertainment and activities as BCFM continues to grow in popularity.

Obviously, this is an inconvenience and disappointment for those who live in Upstairs at Bethesda Row or The Seasons. But it is not that far to walk, and the weather is now great for walking.

In addition, the new site is - true to the market's name - more centrally located. So in addition to the easy walk from Bethesda Row or the neighborhood behind Giant and the Bethesda Library, more folks who live in "Old Town" Bethesda (Triangle Towers, 8200, Whitehall, The Palisades, Bethesda Place, Fairmont Plaza, Lionsgate, etc. - just to name a few!) will be able to walk over and enjoy the market.

The location is changing next week, but it will be the same market as always, so the new spot will be old hat before you know it.

**P.S. The market needs 5 volunteers on Sunday, April 1, to man (or woman) the old Elm St. location and direct patrons to the new Bethesda ES site. Volunteers will receive a $25 BCFM gift certificate! To volunteer, email Mitch at berlinermp@aol.com.