A Day of Artisans & Antiques

STORY BY Pat McCloskey

PHOTOS COURTESY Somerset County Chamber of Commerce

One of the nice things about summer in Pennsylvania is the usually dry, sunny weather. When you take a drive to the Laurel Highlands and make your way through the mountains, you’re treated to spectacular views and venues worth visiting. One is the county seat of Somerset.

Just off the Pennsylvania Turnpike, Somerset is a quaint little town with a spectacular county building right in its middle. The building serves as the backdrop for the annual Somerset Antiques, Artisans, and Ales event held for 52 years on the second Saturday in August. This year, the date is August 12.

Ron Aldom, executive director for the Somerset Chamber of Commerce, says they are expanding their format this year to include local artisans, local entertainment, and local breweries such as Forbes Trail from Stoystown. The artisans and crafts displays will be on Main Street from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. with the entertainment and ales section open from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Many of the antique dealers have made a yearly tradition of attending the event and offer high quality antiques. Most of the vendors say that this event is “the best show [they] do all year.”

According to Aldom, “This is a buyers’ show with people traveling long distances from all over the tri-state area.” Attrition among the antique dealers prompted the expansion into the artisan craft displays along with the brewery and distillery displays, which Aldom says should serve as a nice complement to the annual event.

Ron Bruner, an event volunteer, says he enjoys “strolling the sidewalks during the day and seeing all the really high quality antiques on display.” Bruner is interested in history, and his family has been in the Somerset area since the 1770s. He’s always interested in historical events and the annual antique show appeals to his inner historian.

One of the new events this year will be a contest for the vendors that involves the most interesting re-purposed item. Anything that has been re-purposed into something other than its original use will be fair game, and the items will be an added attraction to all the displays.

Along with free admission, an antique car show will run from noon to 2 p.m. on Main Street, sponsored by the Somerset Trust Co. The new artisan craft section will be juried as vendors compete for the most interesting crafts of the event. The Somerset Chamber of Commerce is looking forward to the participation of the new vendors as well as the introduction of the new displays of local craft beer and distilled spirits, Aldom says.

In the past few years, there have been more than 5,000 visitors to the event, with most coming from the major metropolitan areas in the tri-state region. New draws this year will be kids’ events and live music in Trinity Park near the courthouse.

To augment your trip to the Somerset event, check out other attractions in the region. Seven Springs Mountain Resort is nearby with hiking trails, a golf course, and tennis courts as well as good restaurants and pubs. Just a short drive, is Ligonier, home of Fort Ligonier (a French and Indian War restored site), with a number of restaurants and pubs within walking distance of the town gazebo. Finally, the Flight 93 National Historic Site, commemorating one of the downed planes of 9/11, is short drive from the Somerset County Courthouse.

Make plans now to drive to Somerset in August. The weather will most likely be good, and it’ll be a day well spent in the scenic Laurel Highlands of Western Pennsylvania.

www.somersetcountychamber.com