Main Street Morgantown along with the Farmers Market Growers Association held a ribbon cutting Saturday to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the Morgantown Market Place. The Market Place is a permanent covered venue anchored by a weekly farmer’s market and a diverse array of community fairs, festivals, and markets. It was opened in 2012.
The milestone ribbon cutting ceremony featured remarks from Main Street Morgantown’s former Executive Director Terri Cutright, Main Street Morgantown Board Chair AJ Hammond, Morgantown Farmers Market growers Association Board President Bryan Cheslock, and WVU Extension Services.
Cutright cut the ribbom, then Hammond and Cheslock rang the market bell signaling the start of the market. Live music was provided by Haddox, Truman and Mashburn. Free cupcakes were provided by The Cupcakerie. Children enjoyed a kids zone with oversized games, a book giveaway and takeaway crafts courtesy Morgantown Public Library and Spark! Imagination and Science Center.
The effort to build the Market Place was led by Main Street Morgantown and envisioned as an anchor for downtown small businesses and to attract customers. A collaborative capital campaign effort led by then Cutright raised $825,000 among foundations, the state, federal government, corporations, and private individuals. The broad-based support for the project signifies that no one entity built this important community venue. From 8:30 a.m. to noon Saturdays, May to November, the venue is home to the Morgantown Farmer’s Market.
