Heather Wright/The Independent

Expect the population of Petrolia to swell significantly June 6 as the Petrolia Business Association and the town host a new street festival, Eat, Beats and Boutiques.

Laurissa Ellsworth, director of marketing arts and communication for Petrolia, says over 110 vendors will set up booths along Petrolia Line between Tank and Eureka Street from 1 to 9 pm. Seventy merchants in the community will also open their doors to what is expected to be hundreds of visitors and 25 restaurants will feed the hungry crowds.

Ellsworth says the event, similar to one-night markets in Dresden and Strathroy, replaces Pizzafest.

“We’ve done Pizzafest for over 10 years, and it started out as a way to celebrate what we had a whole bunch of – which was good pizza – over the years,” she says.

“We’ve discussed ways to make it more about everyone instead of just focusing on one group in the downtown.”

The organizers decided on a one-night event which featured shopping both in local stores and on the street, music and lots of good food.

“Our priority is making sure our merchants and restaurants have a great day. It’s also why we did not invite any food trucks. We wanted our restaurants to benefit from all those looking for something to eat.”

While it seems like a big ask to have local restaurants provide all the food for the event, Ellsworth says the committee has been working with the restauranteurs on their offerings.

“We’ve asked them to come up with a menu specific to the event that’s quick, walkable, and affordable,” Ellsworth says. “So, if you regularly serve something that’s handheld anyway, you’re probably in good shape, because people can take it and go,

“But if it’s something that takes a little longer, we’ve been able to furnish them with tables and chairs and picnic tables and things, so people have a spot to sit outside. We’ve also suggested to them to do what they do really well and really quickly, so it’s not something that takes, you know, 20 minutes to bake in the oven,” she adds.

As for the shopping, Ellsworth says they’re making sure there is lots of selection that doesn’t leave local merchants out in the cold.
She says there are “no duplicates of businesses downtown.

“We’re trying not to duplicate what exists already, so we’re seeing all kinds of things like candle dealers, hot sauce companies, glass creations.”

Another feature will be music. There are three stages set up, the Rotary Bandshell at Victoria Park will be the main venue. There will also be spots for musicians and performers on both ends of Petrolia Line.

“They start at one and they go right till nine, and then on the main stage in Victoria Park, Brothers Wild actually go on at nine and they play till 10:30 pm and that was so that our merchants and vendors and business owners could come down and perhaps enjoy some music once they close up, too.”

Petrolia Line will be closed throughout Eats, Beats and Boutiques. Organizers have arranged for three shuttle buses to go through town picking up residents to head downtown to enjoy the events.