Association touts event to replace Saxonburg Arts Festival
SAXONBURG – Reluctant to forego the exposure and sales connected with the canceled Saxonburg Festival of the Arts, the Saxonburg Area Business Association is planning a festival of its own to coincide with the Sprankle’s Octoberfest on the second weekend in September.
The annual arts festival was canceled by the borough this year for many reasons, the most impactful being a lack of volunteers.
About a dozen members of the association attended Tuesday’s borough council meeting.
Phil Wain, association president, told council the event would be similar to the borough’s monthly Mingle on Main events, with various food, craft and other vendors.
He said council would be asked to close Main Street from 8 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. on Sept. 9 and from 8 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. on Sept. 10.
Council also will be asked to post “no parking” signs on Main Street overnight during the event between Isabella and Pittsburgh streets, Wain said.
Main events would take place at the South Butler Community Library, where a large tent would showcase live bands.
Costs for services such as security, trash collection and portable toilets would be shared with Octoberfest, Wain said.
The association would provide insurance coverage for the event, which is tentatively being called “Minglefest.”
Wain invited council members to help at the event if they can.
“We want to showcase not just the businesses, but the people who run the borough, too,” he said.
“I think it’s a great idea,” said councilman Dave Johnston.
Wain said the association has suffered since the coronavirus pandemic, having fallen in membership from 130 to between 30 and 40.
“It’s important that we revitalize the business association,” he said.
Aaron Piper, council president, said the event is in the preliminary stages.
“Obviously, it’s a no-brainer,” he said. “We want to support the Main Street businesses.”
Sherry Rankin, a Main Street business owner, said many of her fellow entrepreneurs in the borough were disappointed that the lucrative arts festival was canceled for 2023.
She said her business saw more sales during the 2022 arts festival and Octoberfest than it normally does in a month.
“The community builds business, and business builds the community,” Rankin said.
Nancy Alberth, another Main Street business owner, said her business does not see much traffic from those who attend Octoberfest at the fire hall grounds.
She too was very disappointed that the arts festival was canceled.
“It takes four to six weeks to make up the money,” Alberth said.
Council did not take action Tuesday night on closing Main Street for the association festival in September.
