Ligonier businesses enjoying a busy summer season, with more to come

For those outside of charming mountain valley of Ligonier, life can appear to be bucolic and easy living. The small-town charmer is well known for its historic shopping and dining district, popular museums, and outdoor fun.

Behind the scenes, however, Ligonier’s shops, museums, restaurants, and tourist destinations have geared up for a record summer for visitors.

In the spring, the Ligonier Valley Chamber of Commerce gathered dozens of its members for its annual tourism business breakfast to prepare for the busy season. The occasion drew together the Ligonier Valley’s business community to share plans and opportunities for the season.

Cari Frei, director of the Ligonier Country Market, shared about improvements to the market field and thanked local police officers for managing traffic. “It’s going to be a busy summer,” she said.

The Ligonier Country Market is the state’s second largest farmer’s market and attracts thousands of visitors to the valley each weekend.

Jeff Croushore, director of marketing at Idlewild & Soakzone, said Idlewild opened earlier this year “in response to demand for group outings and picnics.” The historic theme park welcomes families to the Ligonier Valley from across the United States, and many of those families stay in Ligonier as a part of their trip.

Local museums and non-profits found that their popular summer camp programs were filling up, too. Kristin Miller, education coordinator at the Southern Alleghenies Museum of Art, shared with the group that the summer camp children aged 7 to 11 filled up quickly. Others, including Fort Ligonier and Powdermill Nature reserve, echoed high demand for summer programming.

Alongside the camps, events, sales, and programming organized by local businesses, the Ligonier Valley Chamber of Commerce has a busy slate of summer programming.

Antiques on the Diamond returned on June 5, welcoming regional antique vendors to set up shop in Ligonier’s picturesque town square called Diamond Park. The Stroll, Ligonier’s classic car show, returns Aug. 5, featuring classic cars, ’50s music, and sidewalk sales from local merchants.

Sunday Evening Band Concerts are held weekly through Aug. 21, on the Diamond. The East Winds Symphonic Band performs July 24, and the Community Band South is on July 31.

The chamber is hosting two new events for 2022. A rebooted Summer in Ligonier festival was held July 16, a family fun day with kid-friendly exhibitions. Also new is Bark in the Boro, an outdoor pet expo for dog lovers, on Sept. 25 from noon to 4 p.m. The event will feature pet vendors from across the region selling collars, treats, bandanas, and toys. Groomers, trainers, and veterinarians will also be on hand to share about the services they can provide.

All the hard work by Ligonier’s businesses, volunteers, and event planners are part of what make the town a beloved tourist destination for travelers near and far.

To learn more about the details of these and other events, please visit the chamber’s Facebook and Instagram pages, and the Ligonier Valley Chamber of Commerce website at ligonier.com.

All outdoor events are subject to the weather. Visitors should check the chamber’s social media pages to check for any event changes.