With the Ligonier Country Market’s May 16 opening day just over two months away, the future of the 50-year-old local tradition remains in limbo as organizers and their longtime landlord attempt to resolve a soured lease dispute.
The Loyalhanna Watershed Association, which has hosted the market on its 9.6-acre property off Route 30 in Ligonier Township for 25 years, recently updated its pitch for a continued partnership. But with the countdown to the regular season officially on, a final agreement has yet to be signed.
The stakes are high: The vendor showcase traditionally kicks off the first Saturday after Mother’s Day and draws between 3,000 and 5,000 visitors each weekend, according to market Director Kelly Svesnik.
Local business owners, like Dawn Szalay of the Song of Sixpence boutique in Ligonier Borough, say their livelihood depends on that crowd.
“I opened my business knowing that (the market) was there,” said Szalay, a former market director and vendor who recently took to social media to urge both sides to settle. “Many of us have opened our businesses knowing that was there. This is what we expect for our summers and fall.”
Lease disagreement started in January
The dispute was sparked after the Ligonier Township supervisors issued special event permits Jan. 5. The watershed association presented a new lease to the market Oct. 29 — updated following a modification to the market’s opening date last year, said Susan Huba, executive director of the environmental organization.
More on the Country Market
• Ligonier Country Market proposes borough as new host
• Watershed association awaiting response on proposed lease with Ligonier Country Market
• Ligonier Township supervisors tell Country Market leaders and landowner to settle their differences
• Ligonier Country Market facing possible move after lease terminated, director says
• Ligonier Township planning board recommends allowing mid-May opening for Country Market
• Cheesemaker claims the Ligonier Country Market is penalizing it because it’s too successful
• Ligonier Country Market appears poised to flout township rules if it opens as scheduled
• Ligonier Country Market gets township OK of permit change, set to open 50th season
• Ligonier Country Market’s appeal of opening date rule heads to planning board, supervisors
Last year, the township officially modified the market’s permit to allow for the mid-May start, which was a shift from previous language that had restricted the opening until Memorial Day weekend.
In addition to accounting for updated dates, the new lease reduced vendor spaces to 75, removed the option for a November holiday market, encouraged a rain cancellation policy and required half of all vendors to consist of local agricultural producers.
Svesnik said all of the event’s vendors already fulfill that requirement.
Huba said the lease was never signed.
The watershed association said it terminated the market’s lease Jan. 23 — which the nonprofit argues invalidates the permits.
Officials for the market contend the lease is still in place and valid until December 2027 in the absence of a judicial determination.
The market responded to the new lease Feb. 12, Huba said, and an updated version was presented a week later.
Attorney: Market will respond to lease proposal
The latest version of the lease upped vendor spaces to 90, according to a proposal obtained by TribLive. Local vendor requirements were maintained, but the percentage of Laurel Highlands vendors also would be calculated across the entire season, not weekly.
The proposed lease also would require market organizers to put down a $5,000 security deposit and maintain the grounds. The watershed association would reserve the right to enact a rain operation policy the Wednesday prior to a Saturday market, which would limit vendors to fresh produce and perishables to ensure everyone fits on gravel lots.
The prohibition of a holiday market in November also was maintained, Svesnik said.
“(The holiday market) is a big one for our vendors,” she said. “That’s kind of like their big hurrah before the end of the season.”
Huba said the watershed association requested a response by March 1 but did not receive one.
“We were hopeful that they would be able to respond to us with something to just keep things moving forward,” Huba said. “Obviously, we know this is such a big topic right now and such an important aspect to so many people.”
Attorney Mark Sorice, representing the market, said the board submitted a response to his office Friday. With several members out of town, Sorice informed the association’s attorney, Del Nolfi, that the market would provide a response by the end of this week.
Nolfi did not respond to phone calls from TribLive requesting comment.
Vendors are market’s priority, director says
Svesnik said the market’s vendors remain the priority.
“Without the vendors, there is no Ligonier Country Market,” she said. “Our priority is to do the best that we can for them.”
That is why the market ditched its proposal to host the event along East and West Main streets in Ligonier Borough, Svesnik said. The idea was pitched two weeks ago but was scrapped due to concerns from vendors and police.
“After talking to many of our vendors, they did not like that … because many of them need their cars to work out from,” she said. “And also we discussed with the police officers as well that they, too, did not like that either, for the safety concerns.”
Another potential new location was identified in January, Svesnik said in an email to vendors two months ago, though she did not name the site.