Market Day Passport aims to spur traffic to Downtown New Kensington businesses

Downtown New Kensington business leaders hope a passport book for visitors will help spur foot traffic around the business district.

The New Ken Downtown Partnership is unveiling the Market Day Passport to encourage foot traffic to the city’s farmers market and downtown businesses.

“We were thinking of ways for people to explore New Ken,” said Michelle Thom, president of the partnership. “It’s an at-a-glance book of all the businesses open and their information.”

People can obtain their passport when they visit New Kensington’s weekly farmers market, which is open from 9 a.m. to noon Saturdays at the grass lot next to Voodoo Brewing at the corner of Fifth Avenue and 10th Street.

They then can stop at each of the 15 participating retail businesses listed to collect stickers for their passport. No purchase is required to receive a sticker.

After collecting stickers from each location, they can head back to the farmers market’s information booth to receive a small prize, Thom said.

The weekly market runs through Oct. 18. On that day, there will be a fall festival that will include a downtown business trick-or-treat, a pumpkin patch and more, Thom said.

This year was the first time the partnership held a farmers market downtown. It has brought about 10 vendors each week selling items including meat and poultry, dairy, fruits, vegetables and more.

The idea behind the market was to address the lack of accessible, healthy food options in the downtown area.

Downtown New Kensington has been without a grocery store since Shop ‘N Save closed in 2020. The new owner of the Central City Plaza, however, has said it’s his goal to attract a grocery store to open in that space.

Thom said the reaction from people attending the farmers market each week has been positive.

She hopes the passport idea improves foot traffic for not only the market, but also downtown businesses.

“We’re trying to figure everything out and get established,” Thom said of the farmers market. “I would like it to be busier, but it takes time. I hope it’s another reason to bring people downtown and show them what’s going on.”