The free beer from PortaBeer should be enough to draw a crowd out to the premiere installment of Smorgasburgh, but it’s the food that will take center stage.
Urbanist editor Michael McAllister and local startup investor Kit Mueller are launching Pittsburgh’s first pop-up all food (and beer) flea market on Saturday.
“Smorgasburgh is not unlike the other open-air food markets in some of the … cities associated with foodies, like Seattle, Brooklyn, and Austin,” Mueller said. “With the rise of the great food scene we have in Pittsburgh, we wanted to celebrate it. And we thought there’d be no better place to do that than in the Strip District.”
A couple dozen local chefs, farmers, and food purveyors will peddle their artisan fare in the parking lot at 23rd and Smallman in the Strip District. Participating purveyors include Franktuary, Drew’s Pie Supply, Bedillion Honey Farm, and Klavon’s Ice Cream.
Mueller said there is one particular warm weather treat he’s looking forward to the most.
“The Pop Stop … it’s the mobile Popsicle vendor,” Mueller said. “It’s not your mom-and-pop popsicle vendor. The flavors they choose are unexpected and always amazing.”
Entertainment will be provided by local singer-songwriter Madeline Rae Beyer. They expect 500-700 people throughout the course of the day, and if the event is successful, they want to make it a regular occurrence.
“We’re hoping that we can carry this on a monthly basis, hopefully through November,” Mueller said. “Next year, beginning in the Spring, we’ll try a faster cadence, maybe even bi-weekly.”
The motto of the event on the 21st is “The Strip Starts Here.” Mueller said part of the goal of Smorgasburgh is to expand the boundaries of the Strip District.
Finally, did we mention the free beer? It’s free. And if for some reason you don’t like free beer, you can always bring your own. The event runs from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., and admission is free.
