Washington Fall Fest gives vendors a second chance following festival cancellations
Washington Fall Fest gives vendors a second chance following festival cancellations
When torrential rain forced the cancellation of the Covered Bridge Festival’s main location at Mingo Creek County Park, it was a huge financial blow to the dozens of vendors who sell their goods and wares at the popular fall event planned for Sept. 19 and 20.
But just a few days later on Sept. 24, many of those same vendors were dealt a double whammy as Houston Pumpkin Festival organizers preemptively canceled their three-day event scheduled for this weekend over concerns that the field where it was to be held would be too soggy for the crowds.
And that’s when Jessie White began brainstorming. The owner of Vanity Loft 222, a salon and spa on North Main Street in the city, reached out to Washington Business District Authority Director Bradley Martin to see if an impromptu festival could be organized to give vendors another chance to sell their products.
“Just from seeing the comments and posts on Facebook, everyone was super frustrated. The Houston Pumpkin Festival is such a big deal,” said White, whose shop opened up in February. “Opening up the (Main Street Pavilion) and giving the vendors a chance for the day specifically for them is important.”
Martin immediately got to work speaking to other local business owners affected by the back-to-back cancellations to see if they would be interested in participating in a one-day festival showcasing vendors. The result was the inaugural Washington Fall Fest that will be held from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday at the Main Street Pavilion in the city with two food trucks and more than 30 vendors expected to attend.
“It took a huge chunk out of their sales,” Martin said of the festival cancellations. “We’re hoping to give them a space to off-load their products. That really hurt businesses that rely on markets or festivals to move their product.”
Martin admitted that this weekend’s event isn’t meant to replace the Covered Bridge or Houston Pumpkin festivals, but it will instead give the vendors a chance to recoup their costs while highlighting their businesses in the community. He said the event will be similar to the weekly farmers market at the pavilions with the focus on local vendors. If it’s successful, it could return again next year on a different weekend that does not coincide with the many autumn-themed festivals that fall on the calendar in September and October.
“There are so many festivals that are the staples that you don’t want to take away from it. It’s possible to find another weekend next year,” Martin said. “Any opportunity we can give to these vendors to sell and get them in front of a new audience … and to become more of a festival, there is certainly a version of that happening here.”
Anastasia Barr-Whiteman, who owns Pretzels Plus with an Amish Touch along South Main Street in Washington, wasn’t affected by the festival cancellations, but she jumped into action after seeing so many of her friends who are small business owners suffer losses.
“It’s a massive disappointment, but it’s out of their control,” Barr-Whiteman said. “Losing those opportunities loses your opportunity to show off your business.”
She and White are friends, so they both contacted Martin to find out what could be done to help business owners who had planned to attend the festivals. Barr-Whiteman now plans to be a vendor for Sunday’s market festival to show support and help boost the event.
“You have to just get it done and not think about it,” she said. “Rather than complaining about it, let’s find a solution.”
For new businesses like White’s, these festivals are an important opportunity to get her products out in front of people as she’ll have boutique clothing for sale while also offering hair and nail styling options for kids and adults.
“It’s really important. I’m a new salon (opened in February) and we’ve been working hard to attend events and get our name out there so people get to know us.”
With less than three weeks to plan the first-ever Washington Fall Fest, the organizers hope the community will come out to support the concept and the vendors who lost out on sales from the other events.
“The fact that everyone came together so quickly when this happened – it was immediate – the speed that the business threw this together, it helps,” Martin said. “It’s not a replacement for those things, but it’s a good event to get people to explore and (see) an assortment of new vendors. The vendors are thrilled. The vendors are thrilled there is something for them to make up on what they missed out on.”
And the best news of all, the covered pavilions on South Main Street means the event will go on rain or shine Sunday.
For more information about the Washington Fall Festival and a full list of vendors, go to the Washington Business District Authority’s Facebook page at www.facebook.com/downtownwashingtonpa.