https://mirror.triblive.com/local/valley-news-dispatch/severe-weather-forecast-results-in-rescheduling-of-gathering-on-grant-festival-in-vandergrift/
Severe weather forecast results in rescheduling of Gathering on Grant festival in Vandergrift
Mother Nature forced a rescheduling Thursday of a new monthly food and music festival in Vandergrift.
Gathering on Grant organizers decided to move the event from this past Thursday to next Thursday, June 23, in response to what was a rather ominous storm forecast.
Vandergrift Council helped organizers by unanimously and quickly approving the new date, event organizer and volunteer Robert Buchanan said.
“It was the storm that never happened,” Buchanan said Friday. “Rescheduling the event is a minor setback. Half the vendors were canceling before we announced anything.”
Organizers said almost all of the vendors have confirmed that they will participate on June 23.
“We’re hoping to have less-threatening weather and also, lower temperatures than what we’ve seen the past few days,” Buchanan said.
Gathering on Grant is a monthly vendor-focused festival.
The event is sponsored by the Vandergrift Business Association, a nonprofit created last year by local business owners with a goal of promoting business growth in Vandergrift.
Organizers said the inaugural gathering attracted a large crowd and more than 20 vendors participated.
“Our first Gathering exceeded expectations and we had about 1,500 people attend,” Buchanan said. “Vendors were selling out and the food trucks sold out. I went to buy food for my staff at the end of the event and nobody had any food left.”
The event is scheduled from 5 to 8 p.m., every third Thursday, except in July, through October.
“We have high hopes for the remaining Gathering on Grant dates, Artfest and Oktoberfest events coming up this year in Vandergrift,” Buchanan said.
Courtesy of East West Boutique Shoppers browse inside East West Boutique during the Gathering on Grant event May 19 in Vandergrift.Jen Zatko Atchison co-owns East West, a clothing boutique on Grant Avenue.
“It was great to see so many people in town enjoying the gathering,” Atchison said of the first Gathering on Grant. “Vandergrift felt very lively. Our storefront was filled with shoppers.”
Grant Avenue will be closed to vehicle traffic from Columbia Avenue to Sumner Avenue from 5 to 8 p.m. Thursday.
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