More than 5,000 attend 2nd Greensburg Music Festival

Lisa Hegedus stood on West Otterman Street on Friday evening and heard music from three different concerts at once — including one happening in Caffe Barista, which she owns.

“It was wonderful. It couldn’t have been better,” she said. “We had people coming that had never been there before. It was just nice to see so many people walking around downtown Greensburg.”

The second Greensburg Music Fest attracted more than 5,000 people — 2,000 more than last year’s inaugural event.

“It’s grown incredibly. We were extremely pleased with the people who were out and enjoying it,” said Kelli Brisbane, director of corporate engagement and events for the Westmoreland Cultural Trust, which organized the event.

The festival managed that turnout despite competing with high school football games in Greensburg and Hempfield.

The event grew out of the trust’s annual Thank God It’s Summer concert series. The series used to wrap up with a big finale show featuring several bands, which proved popular enough to merit expansion.

“We had such a good response for that, I decided let’s try to make this a little bit bigger,” Brisbane said.

Last year’s festival had two stages. Several local restaurants hosted concerts of their own, and the festival coincided with the Greensburg SummerSounds concert series.

This year, the trust hosted seven stages, with more music at the Westmoreland Museum of American Art, 12th Octave music school and six local restaurants and bars.

A shuttle service connected the many music venues. Food trucks, vendors and artists set up shop throughout the city.

“It’s been a long time since we’ve seen Greensburg so lively and busy,” said Jessica Hickey, director of the Downtown Greensburg Project. Her organization set up a night market, with numerous vendors selling their goods as bands played on South Pennsylvania Avenue.

The new Fringe Stage, which hosted hard rock bands in a parking garage on North Maple Avenue, was especially popular, according to Brisbane.

“It was just booming. It was incredible how many people were in that area,” she said.

In total, the festival had more than 35 local musical acts.

Brisbane said she hopes the festival will expand in the future, with more community organizations getting involved to help host.

“I think it’s very clear that people want this kind of activity going on,” she said.

Next year’s fest is scheduled for the last Saturday in August. Brisbane hopes the move from Friday will boost the crowds further.

Hegedus can’t wait.

“I wish it could be like once a month,” she said. “It really brings a lot of people to town.”