On Oct. 19, Grow Ohio Valley will host a grand opening celebration for the Public Market, a non-profit local and natural foods store in the Intermodal Center at 1401 Main St. The event, set for noon to 7 p.m., will combine with Grow Ohio Valley’s popular Harvest Festival, and will be held outside the market on the corner of 14th and Main streets with additional activities at Heritage Port. The event is free and open to the public.
The celebration will feature a local pig roast along with seasonal sides and locally sourced vegetarian options catered by local chefs. Food will be available for purchase from noon until supplies run out.
From 1-7 p.m., live music will be performed on 14th Street, featuring musicians including The Wheeling Symphony Brass Quintet, Ezra Hamilton, Adrian Niles and Matt Heusel, Ananga Martin, the Gypsy Cowboys and Mister James. For a full schedule, visit the Public Market Facebook page or stop by the market for an event card.
From noon to 12:45 p.m., Laura Hitchman of OV Power Yoga will host Nourish Your Soul, a free public yoga class. This all-levels vinyasa flow will be held on 14th Street outside the Public Market. No experience is necessary; bring a mat or towel to practice on.
Harvest Festival family games and activities will take place from noon to 7 p.m. at Heritage Port, including a pop-up pumpkin patch and pumpkin decorating, face painting, kettle corn, and fall games and contests. The Fun-raiser truck will set up, with toys and games available for children.
The Public Market will open its doors to the public at 8 a.m. Store merchandise will be available for sale, and several local vendors will be present next to their products to meet the public and share information about their products. From 10:30 a.m. to noon, live music performances will be hosted in the market space, featuring Bob Gaudio, Jeff Sperl, and Laura Cramblet with Brooke Deal.
“This is the culmination of a years-long project to create a space for Wheeling residents to meet, connect and learn about the great local food produced here. We are pleased to open our doors and let t
he community experience the sights, sounds and flavors of the freshest ingredients you can buy,” said Dean Sparks, general manager of the Public Market.
On Oct. 18, GrowOV will host a special Public Market Sneak Preview Event to celebrate Public Market founding and lifetime members by honoring their contribution to the market’s launch. Hors d’oeuvres will be prepared by Public Market Executive Chef Melissa Rebholz. At the event, founding members who contributed $1,000 or more, and lifetime members who contributed $250, will receive a commemorative art print created by local artist Logan Schmitt, a Public Market travel mug that they can present for free hot coffee for one year and an organic cotton Public Market tote bag. Founding members will be honored with their names featured in the market space.
Oct. 19 coincides with the first home game for the Wheeling Nailers at the WesBanco Arena. The Nailers will host additional festivities in conjunction with the Public Market. In addition, the Wheeling Symphony Auxiliary is sponsoring a 5K race on Oct. 19 at Heritage Port, featuring volunteers dressed as zombies and encouraging runners to wear costumes. There will be a mini-monster dash at 8:30 a.m., and the race begins at 9 a.m.
Starting Oct. 21, the Public Market will be open year-round, from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday, and 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturdays.
Public Market memberships are still available. For more information memberships, or to become a founding, lifetime or annual member, visit ThePublicMarket.org. Annual memberships are $5 off prior to Oct. 19, costing just $30 for the first year. All are welcome at the Public Market. Membership is not required to shop.
For more information about Public Market memberships, or other questions, contact publicmarket@growov.org or call 304-233-4769.
ABOUT PUBLIC MARKET
The Public Market is a non-profit local and natural foods store with a dual mission to build economic opportunities for local farmers while creating a space for community health in downtown Wheeling.
The Public Market will fill the Robert C. Byrd Intermodal Center with locally-grown fruits and vegetables, eggs, meats and other local products from more than 40 consignment vendors — alongside an array of jams, pickles, and ferments, bulk nuts and grains, and other natural grocery staples. The market will also feature a deli serving convenient, healthy breakfast and lunch options with local ingredients, and an array of grab and go items.
The market will be a space for community health in the center of downtown Wheeling. The Public Market accepts SNAP, WIC, and Senior Vouchers — plus SNAP Stretch, which makes eligible items discounted for SNAP shoppers. The Public Market is a project of Grow Ohio Valley.