Saxonburg Artisan Market debuts this weekend
After the sudden demise of the Saxonburg Festival of the Arts in 2022 and the one-and-done Minglefest in 2023, Saxonburg will host a new fall arts festival on Saturday and Sunday when the Saxonburg Artisan Market debuts.
The event’s organizing committee is calling it a “re-imagining” of the original arts festival, which was a fall tradition in Saxonburg for three decades. A whole section of Main Street will be closed off, as virtually every business in Saxonburg — and some from beyond — will be contributing to the inaugural event.
In all, the artisan market promises more than 55 vendors, along with demonstrations of art forms such as glass-blowing, blacksmithing, airbrushing, fly-tying and chain saw carving.
“Main Street businesses … will all be open and stocked full of their amazing wares, foods, clothing, drinks and more,” said event organizer Nancy Alberth, owner of Red Door Antiques.
Alberth says the Artisan Festival has been in the works since late last year. Five community organizations were involved, including the Saxonburg Area Business Association, who organized 2023’s Minglefest.
Unlike Minglefest, she says, this year’s event will not be a one-and-done.
“SABA … is playing a significant role in the newly named Saxonburg Artisan Market, with the intent of making it a permanent fixture on the Saxonburg calendar,” Alberth said.
Some activities are holdovers from the previous Saxonburg Arts Festival, such as the Saxonburg Fine Art Show, photography exhibit and ikebana exhibit. All three are held at Saxonburg Memorial Presbyterian Church on Main Street. The South Butler Community Library will host a book sale and quilt show, and Saxonburg Volunteer Fire Company is holding the Smoke-Out BBQ Contest on the carnival grounds.
At 4 p.m. Saturday, Dan Byerly will play a concert at the church titled “American Songs & Spirituals.”
Even the Pittsburgh Steelers will make a contribution to the market. More specifically, their official drumline band, the Pittsburgh Steeline — which plays at every Steelers home game and other local events — will play from 2 to 3:30 p.m. on Saturday only.
Throughout the event, Saxonburg Rotary will run a shuttle that makes stops along Horne Avenue and Pittsburgh, Water and Rebecca streets. The shuttle will cycle between the Artisan Market and the other major event running that weekend — Sprankle’s Octoberfest at Lernerville Speedway — ensuring visitors can easily check out both.
The Artisan Market runs from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday and from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday. A section of Saxonburg’s Main Street — from Kiki & Lolo's ice cream shop to the Pittsburgh Street intersection — will be closed one hour before the start of the event each day.
