As the heat of the summer comes on things are really heating up downtown as Mainstreet Piqua and the downtown merchants are gearing up for what promises to be a very busy month.  Three annual events will be held in the downtown in the coming weeks and area residents are encouraged to circle their calendars and plan on making their way downtown for all the fun activities. 

Downtown Piqua’s annual sidewalk sales will be held on Friday, July 17 and Saturday, July 18. The annual clearance sales will be augmented with area crafters selling their wares and taking advantage of the additional traffic in the downtown area. The call for crafters to participate in the event went out some weeks ago and there has been lots of interest so far.  Several different jewelry makers, a vintage apron and tote bag vendor as well as a Tupperware consultant are already signed up and additional vendors will be accepted as space permits.  Crafters interested in participating in sidewalk sales are asked to call Mainstreet Piqua for additional information.  Downtown Sidewalk sales are a bargain hunter’s dream-come-true. Businesses participating in the event include Readmore’s Hallmark, Apple Tree Gallery, Barclay’s Men’s – Women’s Clothiers, RPC Computers, Crazy Martin’s , Francis Office Supply, Hand to Hand Consignments and Off the Shelf bookstore. 

On Saturday, July 18th the annual Dancing in the Country Moonlight will be held in the 300 and 400 Blocks of N. Main Street. RPC Mobile Disc Jockey Service, operated by Rhett Dziech, will be providing lots of great country music and antique tractor owners have been invited to bring their vehicles to the event. Dancing in the Country Moonlight is a fun, family friendly event that is suitable for all generations.

The third annual event to be held in downtown is the Downtown Brown Bag Series. Each Thursday in July, starting on July 9, there will be an entertainer on the city hall fountain plaza and a restaurant serving a sack lunch for $6. The entertainment is free and everyone is welcome to attend.

On July 9, The Lighthouse Café will be serving chicken salad on whole wheat bread, chips, cookie and drink and the entertainment will be provided by pianist Scott Oglesbee.  On Thursday, July 16 Michalo’s Pizza and Subs will have a turkey sandwich along with potato chips, cookie and drink and the performer will be folk guitarist Joseph.  On July 23 the entertainer will be piantist and singer Bill Corfield and Susie’s Big Dipper will offer shredded chicken sandwich, potato chips, cookie and drink.  The event will conclude with Zender’s of Ohio offering a three piece chicken dinner with fries and a drink for $6. The entertainment at the last brown bag lunch will be provided by guitarist Jimmy Felts.  Picnic tables will be provided by the City of Piqua.

The downtown Brown Bag series is presented by Mainstreet Piqua with sponsorship support by Unity National Bank, US Bank, Chase, Mutual Federal Savings Bank, MainSource Bank and Fifth Third Bank. 

The Piqua Community Farmers Market will also continue for the month of July with the market being held each Thursday from 3 – 7 p.m. in Canal Place in downtown Piqua.  There are now almost 30 approved vendors for the Farmers Market and new vendors are being approved each week. 

Additional information about downtown Piqua’s annual sidewalk sales, Dancing in the Country Moonlight and the downtown Brown Bag Series can be found at www.mainstreetpiqua.com.  The phone number for Mainstreet Piqua is 773-9355. 

Downtown Piqua’s annual Sidewalk Sales will invade the sidewalks of downtown Piqua on Friday, July 17 and Saturday, July 18 and Mainstreet Piqua is looking for crafters who would like to take advantage of the additional downtown traffic to sell their handiwork.  Sidewalk sales will be held during regular business hours on Friday, July 17 and from 9 - 2 p.m. Saturday, July 18.  Numerous downtown businesses will have deeply discounted sale items on the sidewalks and there will be lots of great deals for bargain hunters.  Mainstreet is encouraging only hand or home-made items and no flea market items will be accepted.  Vendors who sell handmade jewelry and accessories, ceramics, soaps and lotions as well as handmade wood items are also encouraged.  Entrepreneurs that have home-based businesses such as Tupperware or Longaberger will also be accepted.  Later in the day on Saturday, July 18 Mainstreet Piqua will be hosting their annual Dancing in the Country Moonlight event featuring antique tractors, line dancing and lots of fun for the whole family! 

Those interested in participating in the Sidewalk Sales are asked to contact Mainstreet Piqua at 773-9355 or come into the Mainstreet Piqua office, 326 N. Main Street, for an entry form, Monday through Friday 9-4.  To save a spot and help cover advertising costs participants are asked to provide an entry fee of $5.00/10 feet, booth space is on a first come- first served basis.  For more information call Mainstreet Piqua at 773-9355.  Craft vendor applications can also be downloaded from the Mainstreet Piqua website at www.mainstreetpiqua.com

Registration Form

Mainstreet Piqua to debut Piqua Community Farmers Market

Downtown Piqua will have a fresh feeling this summer when Mainstreet Piqua debuts the Piqua Community Farmers Market.  The market will be held in Canal Place Parking between the Piqua Daily Call building and the east side of the 300 block of N. Main Street.  The Piqua Community Farmers Market will start on Thursday, May 28 (the Thursday after Memorial Day weekend) and run each Thursday from 3 – 7 p.m. until October 1. 

“We have had many requests through the years for a Farmer’s Market in downtown Piqua.” says Mainstreet Piqua director Lorna Swisher.  “This project is an exciting new development for our downtown.”

The farmers market vendors will be set up on the East side of Canal Place, allowing market visitors and downtown patrons to park in the spaces on the West side of the lot, directly behind the businesses. 

Mainstreet Piqua is actively looking for a variety of vendors for the Piqua Community Farmers Market, including fresh fruit and vegetable vendors, cut flower and plants as well as homemade baked goods.  Area farmers interested in being a vendor are asked to contact Mainstreet Piqua at 937-773-9355.  Vendor applications and the market rules can also be downloaded from the Piqua Community Farmers Market website at www.piquafarmersmarket.com. 

A limited number of other vendors will be allowed at the market but Swisher says the bottom line is, “If you grow it, make it or bake it you will be permitted to be a vendor at the market.  There will be no flea market items at the Piqua Community Farmers Market.”  says Swisher. 

The Mainstreet Piqua organization says after researching area farm markets, and the availability of farmers to be vendors at the market, it was decided that Thursday was the best day for Piqua’s farmers market.  “There are several very successful markets in the area that run on Saturday and there are few Thursday markets in the area.” says Swisher.  “This will give our residents and visitors a chance to stock up on their fresh produce and baked goods for the weekend.”