Funky mountain grooves and the aroma of hot grills and delectable foods fill the air. Local artisans are peddling their wares and nonprofits are raising awareness for a myriad of causes. People are converging on an area to do something fun. Tip your head back. Take a deep breath. The Park Silly Sunday Market is back.
After a lengthy hiatus due to that pesky pandemic that upended normal life for the past year and change, one of Main Street’s signature events is triumphantly returning. If everything goes to plan—I realize that statement probably has you tensely holding your breath—the Silly Market will run Sundays from June 6 to September 26.
“Hopefully it won’t look too much different than we’ve experienced in the past,” says Kate McChesney, Executive Director of the Silly Market. “In talking to the Summit County Health Department, we need to get our county 70% vaccinated, and we’re also continuing a mask mandate and limiting the number of people within the venue. But, we’re optimistic, flexible and can make adjustments right down to the wire.”
The Silly Market’s absence last year was felt not only by revelers who had to find something else to do on Sundays, but also acutely by all the vendors making food, performing music and selling art and other goods. To help vendors weather the storm during the lost summer of 2020, organizers made an online directory of the small businesses that have been the backbone of the event for many years. That directory is still available on the Silly Market’s website so people can find and support their favorite vendors even on days the Market isn’t taking place.
In 2019, the Silly Market featured more than 150 non-profit organizations, 116 stalls given to local farmers, 210 musicians and buskers, 14 local artists and 14 local Main Street merchants. If that’s not enough variety for you, the Silly Market swaps things around with a unique vendor lineup each week. Come on out and get silly. Just remember to bring a mask along and do your best to maintain social distancing so Park City can keep the party rolling all summer long.
Visit the Silly Market website for full details and updates. This story is part of our May/June 2021 issue.
