Freeport businesses have teamed up to offer a community open-air market with food trucks and live music every month through November, weather permitting.
Dubbed “Freeport Days,” the event offers a festival vibe showcasing the products and services of local businesses. To accommodate the festivities, the borough will close down a block of High Street from Dollar General near Fourth Street to Fifth Street in Freeport.
The first event was April 12. Plans call for the next event on Tuesday, May 10.
“We’re looking to get more people into town to see what the businesses here have to offer,” said Brandi Kepple, owner of The Mercantile, which sells local farm meats and cheeses, farm-fresh eggs and gifts.
Kepple is the president of the recently established nonprofit, also named Freeport Days, to support local businesses.
She is working with more than 20 businesses participating in the event.
Many of Freeport’s shops offer niche and specialty products not found at big box stores, Kepple said.
Freeport area business participating in Freeport Days includes Sew Homemade of Buffalo Township, which can produce custom T-shirts on the spot, Kepple said.
Other Freeport businesses include Rai’s Spa, Cracked Egg Catering, Lock 5 tavern, Lucy’s Riverside Café, NextHome Dynamic realty service, Seibel’s Auto Warehouse Inc., Scott’s Scuba Service, Rosa’s Closet, Travel with Beth Rae, Marasia Financial Coaching, and 1833 Coffee & Tea Co.
Mayor James Swartz said the new event is a good idea and an effective way to attract visitors and promote the borough and area businesses. He said last week’s event drew good crowds.
“Now, we have very few empty storefronts in Freeport and we would like to keep it that way,” he said.
Kepple and other businesses decided to offer a larger, reoccurring community event after the success last year of “Mingle Off Market” events in October and November.
They rebranded Mingle Off Market and established a nonprofit earlier this year just to organize the weekly Freeport Days, Kepple said.
