The lights may be back on this summer for the Tarentum Night Market.
Late Tuesday, market officials announced on Facebook it would be canceled for the 2026 season.
It was later found the market could not afford required liability insurance, and it would not be awarded a permit by Tarentum Borough.
So, Trib Total Media, parent company of TribLive and the Valley News Dispatch edition of the Tribune-Review, stepped in to sponsor the event and foot the insurance bill.
Organizer Brian DeFelice said the market and the paper found a potential insurance broker and are collaborating on a resolution to submit to the borough for an event permit.
The event’s future will still need approval from the borough council.
“My emotions are just all over the place — to be able to get the support from the Valley News Dispatch, to try to be able to move forward and go through the permit process,” DeFelice said. “It really means a lot to me.”
For the paper, the market embodies the borough’s growing revitalization.
The market is “more than just a place to shop,” said Trib Total Media President and CEO Jennifer Bertetto.
“At Trib Total Media, we don’t just report on the community — we are part of it. When we saw a chance to help keep this program alive, it wasn’t a question of ‘if,’ but ‘how fast,’ ” Bertetto said. “There is so much positivity happening in Tarentum right now, and we want to do everything possible to invite people in to see how we are growing.”
The monthly market, which hosts vendors, music and food, will start in May if Tarentum grants permits.
At the end of the 2025 season, DeFelice said he was notified by the borough the night market would need liability insurance, which he said presented a “significant” challenge.
DeFelice said he understood the borough’s position and also wants to ensure the market complies with all required safety measures.
Borough Manager Dwight Boddorf told TribLive on Wednesday morning the new policy was approved in April after being recommended by the solicitor and insurance agent.
He said it applies to any gathering of 50 people or more that is not already covered by the borough.
DeFelice said fundraising would be insufficient to cover insurance and operational costs.
With the financial help of the Trib, he said he won’t need to ask local businesses for financial support.
A post on the borough’s Facebook page early Wednesday said it remains open to working with any organizer who completes the application process.
The market, which started in 2020, has become a “joy” for the community, Bertetto said.
