At the heart of Armory Square, the SKY Armory Night Market will take place this Saturday from 3 to 9 p.m. This semi-annual, urban pop-up market provides customers with both a shopping experience and a relaxing night out with live music, street food and specialty cocktails. The building’s three floors will be decked out in homemade, original products from local artists, craftspeople and independent businesses of the Syracuse community. Tickets are $5 and come with a tote bag.

A total of 60 local and regional artists, designers and retailers are expected to showcase their goods. Michelle Watts, owner of Olive on Brooklea, participated in the market last year when it first started. Her store sells a variety of fresh olive oils, as well as salts and balsamic vinegars. The store, Watts said, is focused on “taste before you buy,” where customers are able to sample these oils and vinegars without feeling overwhelmed by all the options.

During the market, Olive on Brooklea will mostly feature those products, along with a special Tuscan bread dipping oil. Combined with the music, ambiance and food, Watts said that this market in particular is “very lively.”

“It makes for a really fun night, even for people who are working,” she said.

Cathy Pemberton, owner and baker of Cathy’s Cookie Kitchen, was also at the first market last year. She recalled being at the market until midnight, where “none of us could stay awake.”

Pemberton, who started her business three years ago, bakes and sells cookies with organic and natural ingredients. She first started selling at farmer’s markets, fairs and festivals before she introduced her cookie samples to local businesses. Now that she has her own store, Pemberton said she sees the “value of being able to shop locally,” and hopes people will come to help sustain these businesses.

Cathy’s Cookie Kitchen includes gluten-free and vegan cookies, which will also be featured at the Market in addition to her regular pack of cookies. And Pemberton even said she’s thinking of bringing edible cookie dough.

Although Pemberton never had the chance to see all three floors, she especially loves the space and “beautiful setting” of the night market.

“It’s very cool, very relaxed, space of people just hanging out, going from vendor to vendor,” she said. It’s a really quality event, the space itself is and all the vendors there — it’s just a lot of fun.”

The three-level space is also Libby Croom’s favorite part about the night market, who said “it’s like an event where you can go out and socialize.”

Croom runs Syracuse Salt Company with her father David Iannicello. They started the company over a year ago as “there was no real representation” of Syracuse’s history as the Salt City, Croom said. Since then, their company has taken off to create a variety of sea-salt based products including candles and soaps.

Because there aren’t many local markets in the community, Croom said it’s an important way to access these different vendors. And until recently, Croom said supporting local businesses in Syracuse has been “really encouraged by the younger generation.”

“We do a lot of events and this one is a lot different from most of them,” she said. “There aren’t a ton of events they do in downtown Syracuse so it gives everyone an opportunity to experience the type of event that they might normally have to go out in the suburbs for.”

Published on April 26, 2017 at 11:43 pm