Much-anticipated return of Sharpsburg Open Streets eyed for borough bicentennial

One of Sharpsburg’s biggest events is set to make a return next year to coincide with the borough’s bicentennial.

Open Streets, which in the past drew more than 3,000 people for a Main Street festival, is a fitting addition to the anniversary lineup, organizers said. It will showcase how the borough has transformed over the years and celebrate a strong community spirit.

”We’ve been kicking around lots of ideas and activities to celebrate, and bringing back the big Open Streets-style festival seems like the perfect way to do it,” said Paul Rouse, a member of the borough’s parks and rec commission.

Chairwoman Mallory Helbling said it’s a fitting way to commemorate borough history and get people engaged and excited for the future.

Several blocks of Main Street would be closed off to traffic for the event, which still requires the approval of borough council before it gets off the ground. A date has yet to be finalized.

It would be produced in partnership with Greg Domian, who helmed the annual Open Streets festivities before covid-related shutdowns paused it in 2020.

“Am I excited?” Domian asked. “To say the least. Successful events like Open Streets put our little town on the map.”

Helbling said the community has been asking for the event to return, but that wasn’t possible because of street closures and construction in recent years.

In years past, Open Streets grew so wildly popular that a Main Street shuttle was added to accommodate the crowd, which came from the Pittsburgh area and beyond. Nearly 100 vendors were selling homemade jewelry, hand-cut French fries and sweet treats.

“It’s clearly something that people really enjoyed and more than a few have mentioned how much they miss it,” Rouse said.

Helbling expects that the event next year will include food trucks, live music and small group classes like yoga or Zumba.

“We want to engage the community in activity,” Helbling said.

Domian said “99.9%” of the work is in planning. He always told the volunteers they could enjoy the event as long as everything was in place.

Committee members plan to dive in after the first of the year, booking vendors, notifying PennDOT and other crucial agencies. Domian said cooperation of borough police and public works is essential to a successful event.

He’ll give borough business owners first crack at a booth out front of their storefronts before recruiting vendors to fill the sidewalks from Sixth to Tenth streets and a small portion of North Canal Street.

Live entertainment will be stationed in three areas — Sixth Street, Ninth Street and the main stage at Guyasuta Square. He expects to draw people for karaoke, magic acts and other quirky shows.

“We are hoping Open Streets will be one of the signature events for the bicentennial and then hopefully something that can come back annually,” Helbling said. “It will be a place for everyone to come out for different activities, vendors, food, music and a place for movement of all types.”

Anyone interested can reach out to parksandrec@sharpsburgborough.com.