The Ventura College Foundation Marketplace, which operates every Saturday and Sunday on the Ventura College campus, will close for the next three weekends. The temporary closure follows the latest guidelines from the California Department of Public Health, which recommends increasing social distancing and limiting large events to less than 250 people to reduce the spread of the coronavirus (COVID-19).

The Marketplace will be closed these weekends:

• Saturday, March 14, 2020, and Sunday, March 15, 2020
• Saturday, March 21, 2020, and Sunday, March 22, 2020
• Saturday, March 28, 2020, and Sunday, March 29, 2020

Over 300 vendors sell fresh produce, pre-packaged food, household products, appliances, tools, plants, arts/crafts, antiques/collectibles, toys, shoes, jewelry/accessories, cosmetics and other items. Refunds or credit will be provided to vendors who have already paid for booth space for these weekends.

"We know that the closure will impact many in the community who visit the Marketplace to shop for fresh produce and other items," says Anne Paul King, executive director of the Ventura College Foundation. "The public has come to rely on the Marketplace for all their basic living items. For our vendors, the Marketplace is a major source of revenue."

The decision to cancel, modify or postpone the Marketplace on additional weekends due to the coronavirus health crisis will be made at a later date and in accordance with state and local health directives. "Our focus is to help our vendors, customers and employees stay healthy and safe through this developing situation," says King.

The public and vendors can keep updated on the Marketplace closure by going to the Ventura College Foundation’s website. The public can also contact King (805-289-6503, aking@vcccd.edu) with questions. Questions from vendors should be directed to Esmeralda Juarez, Marketplace supervisor (805-289-6062, ejuarez@vcccd.edu).

The Ventura College Foundation Marketplace has hosted thousands of vendors and patrons for over three decades, providing a link between the college and the community. It typically attracts approximately 2,000 visitors each weekend. Marketplace proceeds pay for 50 percent of the Ventura College Foundation's budget and is essential in ensuring the foundation's ability to deliver additional philanthropic support to students and the college.

Marketplace proceeds pay for almost 50 percent of the Ventura College Foundation's budget and is essential in ensuring the foundation's ability to deliver additional philanthropic support to students and the college. Because of the Marketplace, the organization was able to support more than 5,800 students last year covering all education fees through VC Promise (1,183 first-year and 363 second-year students), textbook support (1,565 served through semester lending library and 2,843 served through the resource library) and scholarship support (240 students served and 463 scholarships awarded).