Ligonier businesses share notes, brace for busy summer season

For those outside of charming mountain valley of Ligonier, life can appear to be bucolic and easy living. The small-town charmer is well known for its historic shopping and dining district, popular museums, and outdoor fun.

Behind the scenes, however, Ligonier’s shops, museums, restaurants, and tourist destinations have been gearing up for months for what’s expected to be a record summer for visitors.

On April 14, the Ligonier Valley Chamber of Commerce gathered dozens of its members for its annual tourism business breakfast to prepare for the busy season to come. The occasion drew together the Ligonier Valley’s business community to share plans and opportunities for the season ahead.

Cari Frei, director of the Ligonier Country Market, shared about improvements to the market field and thanked local police officers for managing traffic. “We’re already filled up for the first four weeks of the season,” she said. “It’s going to be a busy summer.”

The Ligonier Country Market is the state’s second largest farmer’s market and attracts thousands of visitors to the valley each weekend.

Jeff Croushore, director of marketing at Idlewild & Soakzone, warned local shopkeepers to expect summer tourists to arrive early this year. “Idlewild is opening earlier than ever this year in response to demand for group outings and picnics” he said. The historic theme park welcomes families to the Ligonier Valley from across the United States, and many of those families stay in Ligonier as a part of their trip.

Local museums and non-profits shared that their popular summer camp programs were already filling up, too. Kristin Miller, education coordinator at the Southern Alleghenies Museum of Art, shared with the group that the summer camp children aged 7 to 11 has filled up, but there are still spaces for the younger children’s half-day program. Others, including Fort Ligonier and Powdermill Nature reserve, echoed that availability for summer programming is filling up fast.

Alongside the camps, events, sales, and programming organized by local businesses, the Ligonier Valley Chamber of Commerce is busy planning its own slate of summer programming.

Antiques on the Diamond will be returning on June 5, welcoming regional antique vendors to set up shop in Ligonier’s picturesque town square called Diamond Park. Plans are already progressing for The Stroll, Ligonier’s classic car show, to return on Aug. 5, featuring classic cars, ’50s music, and sidewalk sales from local merchants.

The chamber is also hosting two new events for 2022.

A rebooted Summer in Ligonier festival will debut on July 16. The family fun day has been retooled to feature a number of kid-friendly exhibitions, including balloon animals, jump rope teams, dance performances, and insect encounters.

Also new for 2022 is Bark in the Borough, an outdoor pet expo for dog lovers. The event will feature pet vendors from across the region selling collars, treats, bandanas, and toys. Groomers, trainers, and veterinarians will also be on hand to share about the services they can provide.

All the hard work by Ligonier’s businesses, volunteers, and event planners are part of what make the town a beloved tourist destination for travelers near and far.

To learn more about the details of these and other events, please visit the chamber’s Facebook and Instagram pages. and the Ligonier Valley Chamber of Commerce website at ligonier.com.

All outdoor events are subject to the weather. Visitors should check the chamber’s social media pages to check for any event changes.