Business & Tech

Largo Open Air Market Could Return To Ulmer Park

Tanya Pistillo of Wandering Star Gallery is working with the city on possibly relocating the market to its original home next season.

Before Tanya Pistillo even decided to open her Wandering Star Gallery, she had plans to host community events at nearby Ulmer Park. 

Now that her gallery has officially launched, she is refocusing on the park plans, which include monthly themed family friendly events and, possibly, a return of the Largo Open Air Market. 

Pistillo recently sat down with city leaders to present her plans for the park, and during the discussions the subject of reviving the market at its original home came up.

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“I proposed to put on monthly community events at Ulmer Park before the gallery even came to be,” Pistillo said. “I wanted it to be family and local business-oriented, with a different theme every month.” 

“Later I met with (Recreation, Parks and Arts director) Joan Byrne and told her my ideas … and she asked if I’d be interested in taking on the fresh air market,” she added. “I told her I had already been thinking about it after reading the article on Patch.”

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When contacted, Byrne confirmed the possibility of relocating the foundering market to its original home at the West Bay Drive park.

But she cautioned that plans are still in the are still in the preliminary stages and nothing is official at this time. 

“I’m working with Tanya, and we’ve had a couple of meetings about the plans for Ulmer Park,” Byrne said. “We also spoke about incorporating the vendors from the fresh market into the events.” 

“I can’t confirm anything right now, but we are excited about the prospect,” she added. “We think something is going to happen, possibly later in the fall.” 

Byrne and Pistillo both echoed what vendors and residents have recently said about the market being held at the Largo Community Center on lightly traveled Alternate Keene Road — it was a bad location. 

“It’s not an ideal location for a farmer’s market,” Byrne said.

“The market should not be at the community center, and it should not be taken away,” Pistillo said. 

With all sides apparently ready and willing to make this happen, it seems to be only a matter of time before the open air market has a new home and Ulmer Park becomes a hub of activity in the downtown district once again. 

“Tanya is very committed to making things happen downtown … and we’re open to working with her,” Byrd said. 

Added Pistillo, “I want to get everyone together and really make this a true downtown event for the entire community.”

Related:

  • Largo Open Air Market Is Closing
  • How Would You Improve Largo's Open Air Market?
  • Largo Woman Hopes To Unite Community Through Art

Largo residents, what do you think about the potential of the Open Air Market returning to Ulmer Park? Let us know in the comments below.

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