New Kensington preparing for city's 4th business-boosting Fridays on Fifth season

No matter how much baklava Amy Johnson makes, it’s never enough for some warm-weather Fridays in New Kensington.

Johnson opened her specialty bakery, Sweet Tillies, in December 2020. It has been open for each of the city’s annual Fridays on Fifth events, which began in 2021 and launches its fourth season Friday, April 26. The event runs from 5 to 9 p.m. the fourth Friday of each month, April through September, along Fifth Avenue between Ninth and 11th streets.

Despite downtown New Kensington being filled with food trucks for the events, Sweet Tillies can’t keep enough baklava on the shelves.

“The first couple of ones, I just thought it was a fluke,” she said. “So I doubled up what I made. It still sells out.”

Fridays on Fifth has created opportunities for exposure, which helps drive business beyond the event dates, Johnson said.

“All my marketing is word of mouth and ‘Did you try that baklava place?’ So, yes, definitely,” it helps, she said.

New Kensington Mayor Tom Guzzo is looking forward to the event continuing to draw people to the city.

“This event has brought thousands of people to our downtown,” Guzzo said. “It’s bringing our New Kensington residents, and it’s also bringing folks into our town from all of the surrounding areas. This is just a great event that brings people together to enjoy an evening downtown.”

The entire season is booked, with 20 food trucks expected each month, said Nicole Vigilante, a member of the city’s recreation commission, which sponsors Fridays on Fifth, and owner of Trovo, a vintage home decor shop on Fifth Avenue.

The event will feature a diverse array of foods, including barbecue, Mediterranean, Mexican, Haitian and Venezuelan. New to Fridays on Fifth this year will be a sushi truck, Just Roll’d Up, while Preserving will be serving vegan food, Vigilante said.

New Kensington businesses are encouraged to stay open for the event. In addition to Sweet Tillies, eateries that will be open include Voodoo, Common Oven Pizza at Strange Roots, Steel Cup Coffee and Farm House Fresh.

Voodoo Brewery again will provide the music. This year’s lineup is The Sweetwater Cottage Band in April, Mojo the Band in May, Right Turn Clyde in June, Missing Link in July, Steel City Ramblers in August and The Knockoffs in September.

“Voodoo is really looking forward to another season of Fridays on Fifth. It’s a chance to showcase all the achievements and progress that has been made in downtown New Kensington,” said Michelle Thom, Voodoo’s operations manager. “It’s a chance for the community to get together again while enjoying good food, great music and each other’s company.

“I can say that, for us and other businesses, it’s been a difficult and challenging fall and winter, and we welcome the longer days, the nicer weather and the opportunity to take part in the many events and activities that happen during the summertime.”

Vigilante has been involved with Fridays on Fifth since its start.

“We went to the city and said we think people need to get used to coming downtown again. They need to get comfortable coming down here. If they come when there’s a crowd and lots to do, they’ll come back,” she said. “I’m blown away by the excitement and enthusiasm. People really look forward to it. I hear people talking about it. Having grown up here and seen it when it was kind of down, it brings me a lot of joy to see it bursting with life and people excited to come to downtown New Kensington.”

People come to Fridays on Fifth from across the Alle-Kiski Valley and Allegheny County, Vigilante said. And, as a business owner herself, Vigilante said she has seen people come back on other days, sometimes looking for it to be less busy.

“The trucks themselves have followings. People follow the trucks,” she said. “I know that it is bringing people in that have never been here before.”

Christine Radeshak and her husband, Jim, opened their tabletop gaming store, The Feisty Goblin, over the first two Fridays on Fifth last year.

The event helps people who otherwise wouldn’t come to downtown New Kensington discover their shop, Christine Radeshak said.

“It’s a nice way to be introduced to New Kensington,” she said. “It’s a fun event. There’s a lot of smiles. For people who have not been here before, it’s a great time to come down.”