Pop Up Ave mixes it up with new layout, new vendors and smiling faces
STATE COLLEGE — The outdoor maker and vintage market Pop Up Ave will fill the 200 block of Allen Street with around 50 unique vendors when it returns to Downtown State College for its 10th year on Saturday, May 2.
The event brings its signature mix of makers and vintage vendors from 11 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. along Allen Street and West Foster Avenue.
A new layout will have food vendors located closer to the beer garden, which will once again be on the Bill Welch Memorial Plaza in front of the Municipal Building. Boal City Brewing and Antifragile Brewing Co. will be serving drinks for the entire length of the event. Food vendors include Dubbs Grub, Super Duper Cafe and Buzzy Bee Bakery along with Idou Coffee Co.’s popular coffee trailer.
Brad and Andrea Groznik, co-founders of Pop Up Ave, launched the event in 2016. The couple hails from New York City, and of their favorite things to do on weekends in the city was to explore outdoor maker’s markets — the kind with independent vendors selling handmade and one-of-a-kind goods.
“State College has incredible markets, from the farmer’s market to Arts Fest, but nothing quite like that,” Brad Groznik said. “So, we decided to create it ourselves. It was a hit from our first event, and we’ve hosted it twice a year ever since — with a brief pause during the pandemic.”
This curated, lively outdoor market experience boasts around 50 vendors coming in from across the state — makers selling one-of-a-kind jewelry, candles, pottery, vintage clothing, and more. There’s also local food and beer, so it’s as much a social afternoon as it is a shopping experience.
Pop Up Ave is free to attend, and the vibe is relaxed and community centered.
“It’s great for families, great for a date, great for just wandering,” Groznik said. He added that the goal is to make it an affordable event.
“One thing that sets Pop Up Ave apart is our $75 price cap on products,” Groznik explained. “We want everything to be accessible, so all shoppers can buy something without feeling like it’s out of reach.”
West Foster Avenue is set to become “Vintage Alley” for the day with a mix of new and returning vintage vendors, and the portion of Allen Street between the Municipal Building and Beaver Avenue will feature the event’s eclectic mix of makers.
“We just love this community so much. Pop Up Ave is truly so much fun to host,” said Groznik. “We’re always looking for ways to innovate and keep the event feeling fresh while curating the energy that brings people together. We can’t wait to see familiar faces and meet even more members of this community.”
Groznik added that proceeds from the day’s event go directly back into Pop Up Ave.
“Our goal is to keep improving the experience every year, for both vendors and attendees. We want Pop Up Ave to be a fixture in State College!”
Pop Up Ave is sponsored by the State College Downtown Improvement District, Centre Gives, The Happy Valley Adventure Bureau, Renewal by Andersen and Artemis Wellness Studio.
