As spring unfolds and summer approaches, the Evans Market is due back for weekends at the Plaza. This year, the market is kicking off in conjunction with Columbia County’s free fitness program.
“We already had the market going on, and we want to also encourage people to do the move,” said Janet Wheatley, the county’s Community Services Programs and Events manager, about the upcoming Evans Market and Move Day.
The market, and its more than 40 vendors, will return this Saturday, April 23 as part of a comprehensive community event where it is combined with Move Day, a quarterly initiative that entails weekend workout classes and other fitness activities for families.
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The Evans Market hosts vendors, farmers and artisans along the Plaza at Evans Towne Center from the morning to mid-afternoon every Saturday during the seasons it opens. Its last day in the fall last year was September 11.
This coming Move Day, the first of the year, will have two workouts with yoga starting at 9 a.m., and instructors from Martinez-based Fierce Fitness Training will be leading a body weight class at 10 a.m.
Move Day, which began last spring, is part of Move Columbia County, the county’s free wellness program that offers fitness classes, hosts group walks and has Wellness Wednesdays, its weekly children’s exercise class. Participants in the Move Columbia County program are given a card they can use check in at six of Columbia County’s parks. Each time someone scans the card at a designated site, it alerts Parks and Recreation, which can then keep track, giving members opportunities to win prizes.
“Each month we do a ‘Move Challenge’,” said Wheatley. “This month’s challenge starts on the Friday, April 22, so it’s called the 22 and 22 Move Challenge. We’re challenging people and their families to walk or run 22 miles at our parks April 22 through May 22.”
Some of the designed sites include Savannah Rapids Park, Blanchard Woods Park, Gateway Park in Grovetown and the Columbia County Amphitheatre behind the Evans Library.
The Evans Market will be opening every Saturday through the first week of July, after which it will take a hiatus through the hotter summer months before restarting in the fall through the end of November, Wheatley says.
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As Move Day only happens once a quarter, the next one is expected around June, and it may be at the Evans Market or at one of the other parks in the county. Move Day and the market opening happened to fall on the same day this year, and so the events merged, which should prove a full day for anyone looking to have an active weekend.
“There’s already people there,” said Wheatley. “If you don’t want to do the workout, you’ve still got the market; but if you want to do the workouts, the market’s there as well. It just gives you opportunity to take advantage of both events in one location.”
The Evans Market and Move Day will be Saturday, April 23, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at 7015 Evans Town Center Blvd. The 22 and 22 Move Challenge starts on Friday, April 22. For more information, visit the Columbia County Parks, Recreation and Events Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/ExperienceColumbiaCounty/.
Skyler Q. Andrews is a staff reporter covering education in Columbia County and business-related topics for The Augusta Press. Reach him at skyler@theaugustapress.com.
