Greensburg Night Market opens with larger footprint, more vendors

The monthly Greensburg Night Market returns Thursday for its fourth year, with an expanded footprint covering three downtown city blocks.

Set for 5:30-9 p.m., the market will stretch along South Pennsylvania Avenue from West Otterman Street to West Third Street. About 80 vendors will be present.

“We’ve been wanting to shut down South Pennsylvania Avenue for an event for over six years,” said Jessica Hickey, founder of the Downtown Greensburg Project, the market organizer. “After the growth of the Greensburg Night Market over the last three years, we knew that this was the event that could make it happen.”

In previous years, the market has been confined to the block of South Pennsylvania Avenue behind the Westmoreland County Courthouse, with about 40 vendor spaces.

Adding two blocks means adding new vendors to the list of those that have participated in previous years.

Organizers received about 200 vendor applications this year and accepted about 150, to be present during different dates throughout the market season.

Most vendors come from Westmoreland and surrounding counties. A list of those setting up each month is available on the Night Market website.

“We’re pretty particular about the vendors we accept,” Hickey said. “We look for fresh products and something new and different that fits with the trendy, fun and unique vibe of the market.”

Sellers offer a wide range of products including prepared and packaged foods, spirits and other beverages, fresh produce, cut flowers, plants, honey, local meats and other artisan wares.

Because the market events draw a wide range of visitors, organizers also look for vendors with an active social media presence, she added.

Another addition to this year’s larger market is live entertainment. Acoustical Bruce and Chad Toland will be featured Thursday at two separate locations.

Children’s activities will be offered at the Greensburg Hempfield Area Library and at a tent hosted by 4 the City Church. Some nonprofit organizations also will have informational tents.

Hickey worked with the City of Greensburg in arranging logistics for the larger market.

“We talked with the City of Greensburg last year and started putting plans in motion on how to shut the block down,” she said. “We know there’s a lot of businesses on that block that do use the parking, but we’re hoping the trade-off of over 3,500 people walking down the street seeing and going into their businesses during the Night Market each month makes up for it.”

“Helping the night market was the easiest decision I have had to make since joining Council,” said Greensburg City Council member Greg Mertz. “It’s been a growing attraction for a couple of years now, even through the hits caused by covid. This expansion will make it a feature that highlights our downtown and helps our local businesses.”

The three blocks of South Pennsylvania Avenue will close to through traffic at 5 p.m. and reopen at 9 p.m. Organizers ask that no one park along that stretch after 3:30 p.m.

Cross streets in the market area will remain open.

Hickey noted that dogs are not allowed at the market.

For more information, visit greensburgnightmarket.com.