For Ligonier Country Market officials in search of a new home, the third time was not the charm. On Monday night, Latrobe City Council tabled a move to hold the popular market in the city’s downtown area.
This follows rejections in recent weeks by two other venues to host the market, which features some 130 vendors, this year.
By tabling the motion on a 4-3 vote Monday, Latrobe officials virtually assured that Ligonier Country Market would not start this Saturday. It has traditionally opened on the first Saturday following Mother’s Day.
Mayor Eric Bartels was joined by council members Eric Hauser, Ralph Jenko and Dawn Vavick in voting to table a motion to enter into a agreement, while council members Angela Amatucci, Sam Leach and Lenor Rivera opposed the effort to table it.
Council did not shut the door on having the city host the Ligonier Country Market. It talked about the possibility of holding a special meeting on May 18 to consider entering into an agreement, but no decision was made.
Claudine DePaul, president of the Ligonier Country Market board, said they were disappointed with the vote.
“We are 100% willing to work with the city so that it is 100% successful for both parties,” DePaul said following the meeting.
The Ligonier Country Market has been without a home for the 2026 season since the Loyalhanna Watershed Association terminated its lease with the market in January. The market had been using its nine-acre field off West Main Street, just outside Ligonier Borough.
The market attempted to reach an agreement to operate at Waterford Fire Department’s 26-acre field off Route 271, but the Ligonier Township supervisors last month refused to rezone the land for a commercial use. Just last week, Greensburg officials denied the Country Market its request to set up the market at Lynch Field, where the city’s recreational sports leagues play on Saturdays..
Council members wanting to table any attempt to approve entering into an agreement with the Ligonier Country Market said they had not been given sufficient time to consider the proposal.
Hauser said he had only learned two days ago about the possibility of the Country Market moving to Latrobe. While several vendors told council that having the Country Market, with its thousands of customers flocking to the downtown business district, would be a boon for businesses, Hauser said they need to consider the community as a whole and not just the vendors when deciding whether to approve the market operating for 20 Saturday mornings from May onward.
Amatucci said she was aware of the concerns about parking and noted that government takes a long time to make decisions.
“I think we are letting our businesses and residents down if we don’t jump on this,” Amatucci said.
Mark Sorice, an attorney representing the Country Market, said the organization was willing to make changes from its previous operations. Those changes include reducing the number of vendors from 130 last year and putting a focus on farmers.
“It’s a unique opportunity for you. Please don’t waste it,” Sorice told council.
Before approving any agreement to allow the Country Market to operate in Latrobe, the mayor said he would want to see a limit on the number of vendors, liability insurance and reimbursement for any of the city’s costs, which could include traffic control by the police.
Bartels said it is yet to be determined where the Ligonier Country Market would operate in the city.
Legion Keener Field, with its parking for the Memorial Stadium, is owned by the Latrobe Foundation. With all of the recreational leagues playing games at fields at the park, Bartels said the city does not want to interfere with that activity by having the parking lots filled with market patrons.