Shuttle added to Open Streets Sharpsburg for expected record crowd
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With less than 24 hours until Open Streets Sharpsburg, organizers are still trying to come up with ideas to accommodate an expected record crowd.
A Main Street shuttle was added at the last-minute to alleviate driving by residents and create available parking for out-of-towners, Coordinator Greg Domian said.
“The shuttle is free and is being sponsored by two local businesses because we are expecting a very large crowd,” he said. “With seven stops on Main Street, our residents who live uptown won’t have to drive.”
Domian’s committee agreed this year to expand the festival, which fills Main Street from Sixth to Station streets, to include North Canal Street to increase foot space.
The street fair will run 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, with 80-plus vendors and a crowd that’s expected to top 3,000 people.
The free event features food vendors, live music and demonstrations in an effort to showcase the borough’s commercial district.
“It’s amazing how this event has exploded since its inception,” Domian said. “Every square foot of available space on Main Street is filled and this year we actually had to turn away vendors. There’s just about every food imaginable and so many things to see and do.”
Allegheny County approached Sharpsburg in 2016 to participate in the Open Streets concept, following Bike Pittsburgh’s successful program across the city.
People are invited to enjoy the closed-to-traffic streets filled with food offerings that include homemade hot sausage, funnel cakes and cotton candy.
Entertainment will be provided by the Pine Creek Community 70-piece orchestra and the band Jimmy and the Frogmen.
There will be crafts, games, face painting and plenty of activities for young and old. Last year’s event included pony rides, belly dancing and rock climbing.
For more, visit Facebook.com/openstreetssharpsburg.