Community Pushes Schoharie Markets

SCHOHARIE - As the Schoharie Village Board met last Tuesday, several members from the community showed up to voice their suggestions for a potential new event on Main Street.

Jennifer Barnett and Michelle Rivera, both business owners within the heart of Schoharie, have been attempting to find a solution to dwindling sales from local residents.

They stated that the phenomenon was worrying not only to them but to other owners as well, and Mrs. Barnett cited an example from the recent Memorial Day parade, noting that the day was slow even though there were crowds outside.

However, they believe that they’ve found their answer in the form of tourism, seeking to draw in outside eyes to bolster the town’s economy. As such, they came before the Board on Tuesday to present their new idea of a recurring village market.

Similar to Middleburgh’s Fourth Friday events, this seasonal market could host local vendors, producers and creative crafters to show off the bounty of the county. Mrs. Rivera explained that there could also be live music and a return of open-air movie nights.

As for the location, the owners could think of nowhere better than in front of the county building. “We have a beautifully landscaped stretch of sidewalk for pop-up tents that we would love to use,” Mrs. Barnett said.

Her excitement for the idea was infectious, and it soon caught the Board’s attention. However, even though every member seemed to support the idea, they would have to obtain permission from the county to use the indicated strip of sidewalk.

And yet, that did not dash the hopes for the idea. While it’s still a mere suggestion with nothing concrete planned yet, the owners said that they’ll work on obtaining the required permission while coordinating with the Promotional Association to assess the project’s viability. 

“It was really great to see everyone on board,” Mrs. Barnett said, confident that the plan will be supported in the future. “We can’t wait to see what comes from this.”