Locally grown food celebrated on the North Side
A starting tomorrow, a sweet little park in the Mexican War Streets is getting sweeter.
Starting at 4 p.m., The Twilight Market will debut on the sidewalk surrounding Mechanics Retreat Park (pictured) on the corner of Buena Vista and Jacksonia Streets. There, the fruits of the Allegheny Market House Cooperative will be offered amid a joyous atmosphere. TTM will continue every Saturday throughout the summer. The outdoor market will be lit up into the night by small enclosed fires and there will be local musicians strumming in the background. Each week there will be guest food producers and live entertainment. The market will close at 8 p.m.
"Basically we are trying to create community atmosphere," said Megan Cook, market manager of Twilight. "We’d love for people to grab their bottle of wine on a Saturday evening, bring it down to the market, and hang out with their neighbors – all while having access to purchase locally grown or produced foods."
The market is part of the Allegheny Market House Co-op Membership Drive and they hope to encourage people "to eat locally by having them taste the difference, then join as members of the AMHC to help further support local eating."
The idea of the market, said Cook, is "not to create a bustling, commerce-based environment, but rather a community gathering where we can all talk about the neighborhood and enjoy the benefits of eating locally."
Brad Spencer, also involved with the project, added, "Megan is working on bringing old time milk bottles back to the neighborhood and we are also working on bringing meat suppliers. This is our first week at it but we are determined to make the market above and beyond everyone’s expectations. People should be amazed at what is happening at Twilight Market each week and we will work to make it so."
The group is partnering with Beleza Community Coffeehouse to "get their products out the door and into the neighborhood." They are also looking for local acoustic musicians to play at the market. If interested, email Cook at [email protected].
For more more info about eating locally, visit Cook's website where you can find a copy of Pittsburgh’s Local Food Guide.
