Main Street Piqua

Piqua Farmers Market Hosts Tomato Salsa Contest

On Thursday, September 9th the Piqua Community Farmers Market will be hosting its second annual tomato salsa contest. Salsas will be judged in either the hot, mild or most unusual category. Winners will receive $10 in Piqua Community Farmers Market money. Last year there were 17 entries in the event and the competition was fierce!

The salsa should be made of ingredients that can be purchased from the Market (except things like limes, orange juice, mangos etc.) The salsa must be homemade and cannot be so hot that it makes people cry!

To enter, preregister by contacting Mainstreet Piqua either by e-mail, info@piquafarmersmarket.com or by calling 773-9355. Make sure you indicate which category or categories you plan to enter. Then, on September 9th, bring your homemade salsa creation to Piqua Community Farmers Market in Canal Place next to the Piqua Daily Call, in a container with your name on the bottom of it, to the check-in table by 4:30 p.m.

Please bring at least one pint of salsa (approximately 2 cups) to be sure there is enough for judging and some to share because following the judging, taste tests will be available for Piqua Community Farmers Market customers.

The Piqua Community Farmers Market is held each Thursday through September 30 from 2:30 - 6:30 p.m. in Canal Place. The market features a variety of fresh produce, baked goods, plants, and delectable treats.

The Piqua Community Farmers Market is organized by Mainstreet Piqua for more information call 773-9355.

Market Money Debuts at Piqua Community Farmers Market

Money may not grow on trees but visitors to the Piqua Community Farmers Market will find a whole new kind of money being used to purchase all the fresh vegetables and baked goods at the weekly market. Piqua Community Farmers Market 'market dollars' are now available at the market as well as at the Mainstreet Piqua office. The new tender features the Farmers Market logo and was manufactured by Apex Aluminum Die Cast in Piqua. Pat Zimmerman owns the company "We were thrilled to be asked to be a part of this great project." Says Zimmerman.

Apex Aluminum is a full-service mold design and manufacturing company that specializes in die casting and cast finishing. They have a 100,000 square foot facility located on Sherry Drive. The Piqua-based company specializes in parts for the automotive, industrial and electronics industries industry and so creating the 'market money' gave the company a new challenge. "The money is made of Zamak alloy and die cast in a mold we designed and made here in Piqua." Says Zimmerman. The coin is slightly larger than a half dollar.

The market money is sold in $1 increments and is accepted by all the vendors at the Piqua Community Farmers Market and can also be used to purchase beverages, tote bags and other collectibles at the Mainstreet Piqua information booth. "It's neat that in our home grown farmer's market, which sells local produce, we can use tender that is locally produced!" stated Pat Zimmerman, owner of Apex Aluminum Die Casting.

The Market money is also a perfect gift for those who have family or friends who are big fans of the Farmers Market - they can serve as a "gift certificate" for those who regularly visit the market.

The Piqua Community Farmers Market runs each Thursday from 2:30 - 6:30 p.m.
in Canal Place between Ash and High Streets in downtown Piqua.

Festival of Trees coming to Downtown Piqua

Even thinking about Christmas at this time of the year is a challenge but Mainstreet Piqua volunteers are in the process of creating a brand new holiday event that is sure to be a big hit. The downtown development organization will no longer be hosting Victorian Christmas but will instead host a 'Festival of Trees' during the holiday season. The committee is looking to completely fill the entire second floor of the Apple Tree Gallery with a forest of decorated trees. The trees will be arranged in groups of three or four and visitors will make their way through the winter wonderland. The trees will be decorated in a variety of different themes.

At this time the committee is actively looking for businesses and individuals who might be interested in decorating a tree for the event.

Some potential themes might be sports, bears, patriotic, snowmen or Santa's.

Although it has not been precisely figured, the committee estimates they can accommodate about 40-45 trees -depending on their size. The Festival of Trees committee has been in touch with past Victorian Christmas exhibitors and there is genuine excitement about the re-vamped event. All of the decorators will be recognized with signage and those who visit the exhibit will have a chance to vote on their favorite tree.

Those who are interested in participating in the Festival of Trees are asked to call Mainstreet Piqua at 773-9355 or Debbie McKenna at Apple Tree Gallery at 773-1801 or Penny Mohler at Winans Fine Chocolates and Coffee at 381-0247.

The Victorian Christmas displays will be open during the Christmas Experiences in Piqua weekend which includes Christmas on the Green on Friday, December 3 and the Downtown Piqua Holiday Parade and the Holly Jolly 5K Run on Saturday, December 4, 2010. A complete schedule of events can be found at www.Mainstreetpiqua.com.

Piqua photos tell the story

Piqua and the Piqua Arts Council are collaborating to create a full color, 18-month calendar that tells the story of "50 Reasons to Love Piqua" through photographs. Do you have a special photograph taken within the Piqua city limits that you'd like to share? If so, you're invited to take part in a Calendar Photo Contest where 50 unique photos will be selected and included in the calendar and also used in an exhibition at the Piqua Arts Council office on Main Street. There will also be prizes for the first, second and third place photographs and a special prize for the photograph that is selected to be on the cover of the calendar.

Due to limited gallery space for the exhibition the show will be a juried show and the top 100 photos will be selected for final judging. A registration form (available on the Mainstreet Piqua and Piqua Arts Council websites) accompanied by a disc (CD or DVD) containing high resolution .jpeg photo files(s) should be sent to Piqua Photo Contest, 427 N. Main Street, Piqua, OH 45356 no later than 5 p.m. Tuesday, September 14 There is no age limits and both amateurs and professional photographers are invited to participate. . The calendar and exhibition are intended to be a fundraiser for both organizations.

The "50 Reasons to Love Piqua" photography exhibition will kick off with an opening reception on Wednesday, September 29 from 6-7:30pm where live music and light hors'doeuvres can be enjoyed. Winners will be announced at 7pm. Tickets for the reception are $10 per person (exhibiting photographers attend at no charge).

The calendars will be available in mid-November and will run from December 2010 through May 2012. They will be available at a number of locations throughout Piqua at a cost of $15 per calendar.

"We really look forward to the public getting excited about the project," says Lorna Swisher, Mainstreet Piqua Executive Director. "Both Mainstreet Piqua and the Piqua Arts Council provide many opportunities for the Piqua community and this calendar project will be a great way to support both programs."

To learn more and enter the photo contest, click here to download the registration form or visit www.PiquaArtsCouncil.org to download the registration form. Registration forms can also be picked up at the Piqua Public Library, City of Piqua Municipal Government Complex and the Second Story Gallery.

Leadership Speaker Pete Luongo to return to Piqua

When the Piqua Area Chamber of Commerce hosted their Regional Business Showcase in October 2009 the keynote speaker was the former President and CEO of The Berry Company Pete Luongo. Mr. Luongo’s 45-minute presentation focused on leadership and he accomplished what every speaker should – he left the crowd wanting more!

As a result the Piqua Area Chamber of Commerce’s Regional Business Showcase committee will be hosting a two-hour presentation by Pete Luongo on Tuesday, October 19 from 4 – 6 p.m. in the Fort Piqua Plaza Conference and Banquet facility. The presentation will be followed by a social hour and book signing from 6 – 7 p.m.

Pete Luongo’s presentation will be based on his book “10 Truths About Leadership… it’s not just about Winning.” Tickets to the presentation are $25 for Piqua Area Chamber of Commerce members and $35 for Non-members. Tickets can be purchased at the Piqua Area Chamber of Commerce and there are discounts for bulk ticket purchases. The event is being sponsored by Grow Piqua Now. For more information contact the Piqua Area Chamber of Commerce at 773-2765.

Need a Gift? Run out of time?

The Mainstreet Piqua website has a new enhanced shopping basket feature and now all your Piqua Collectibles are available with the click of a mouse! Payment is handled through the secure payment processor PayPal. There are currently 15 items to purchase on the website and more items will be added as they are added to the Mainstreet Piqua inventory.

All items will be shipped using the Flat Rate shipping services through the United States Postal Service with receipt delivery confirmation.

Once you have chosen your items and completed payment your selections will be carefully packed and shipped from the Mainstreet Piqua office. If you decide to ship multiple items to one location your selections will be combined into one box and additional shipping charges will be refunded through PayPal.

Click on over and see what we have to offer….

Got ideas?

If you have ideas or suggestions for the improvement of downtown Piqua please share your thoughts with us through the Mainstreet Piqua Suggestion Box. We appreciate your input and thank you in advance.

Mainstreet Piqua is on Facebook

Become a fan of Mainstreet Piqua on Facebook!Click Here!

The 6th Annual Holly Jolly 5K Run was held Saturday, December 5th

The links to race results can be found below…
Overall Results
Age Group Results
Pictures

Hance Pavilion Cat's Meow Now Available

Just in time for the holidays Mainstreet Piqua is offering a brand new Cat's Meow of Hance Pavilion. Cat's Meow Collectibles are exact replicas of a building or landmark on silk-screened custom shaped pieces of wood. The Hance Pavilion Cat's Meow features the landmark building surrounded by brightly colored fall trees.

The Hance Pavilion pieces are available at Readmore’s Hallmark, 430 N. Main Street, Apple Tree Gallery, 405 N. Main Street and Tapestry Angel, 516 N. Spring Street. The cost is $20 per piece. Also available from Mainstreet Piqua are Cat’s Meow replicas of the Municipal Government Complex and the Fort Piqua Plaza. For more information please call Mainstreet Piqua at 773-9355.

Third “Made in Piqua” Ornament now available

In tribute to Piqua’s rich industrial heritage Mainstreet Piqua is unveiling their third in a series of collectible “Made in Piqua” ornaments. The brass ornament features a Favorite stove with the word ‘Favorite’ on the ornament. The ornaments are designed to look exactly like a ‘typical’ Favorite base burner stove. Each ornament comes in a blue box that was specially produced for the project by Piqua Paper Box Company. The cost per ornament is $12.

Mainstreet Director Lorna Swisher, who is coordinating the project, says the response to the first two ornaments in the series has been overwhelming. “The Decker’s lard can ornament and the Hartzell Propeller ornaments both sold out within a couple of weeks.” Says Swisher. We anticipate this ornament will do just as well.” says Swisher.

“We appreciate the cooperation of Piqua Paper Box Company with this project. We thought it was very important to have a “Made in Piqua” ornament that could be purchased in a box that was made in Piqua.” she added.

The ornaments are available at the Mainstreet Piqua office, 326 N. Main Street as well as Readmore Hallmark, 430 N. Main Street, Apple Tree Gallery, 405 N. Main Street, Knobby’s Shop, 333 N. Main Street and Tapestry Angel, 516 Spring Street. For more information contact Mainstreet Piqua at info@mainstreetpiqua.com

Mainstreet Piqua is a non-profit organization dedicated to the revitalization, promotion and economic development of downtown Piqua, Ohio. The organization was founded in 1993 with a core mission of improving the heart of our community.

Mainstreet Piqua follows the National Trust for Historic Preservation’s 4-point approach for downtown revitalization. We are a designated Ohio Main Street Program and have been certified as a National Main Street Program for seven consecutive years.

The organization is led by a dedicated Board of Trustees and is widely supported by the downtown business community, area financial institutions and a host of corporate supporters and individuals from throughout the Piqua community and beyond. Mainstreet Piqua also appreciates the full support of the City of Piqua.

We host a variety of family-oriented community events including Taste of the Arts, Downtown Brown Bag Series and Christmas on the Green. For a full listing of all our events please visit our Calendar of Events.

To support the ongoing mission of the organization Mainstreet Piqua we are proud to offer a complete line of Piqua collectibles and memorabilia. Our offerings include two different decks of Piqua Playing Cards featuring historical photos of Piqua, mugs, ornaments, note-cards, mini-crocks, spoon rests, and a DVD featuring a 40-minute driving tour of Piqua done in 1957.

There are numerous volunteer opportunities within the Mainstreet Piqua organization. Please call us a 937-773-9355 if you have any questions or feel free to drop us an email at info@mainstreetpiqua.com

Contact Information:

Mainstreet Piqua, Inc.
PO Box 1703
Piqua, OH 45356
Phone 937-773-9355
Or E-mail s at:
info@mainstreetpiqua.com
Total Hits: 75915