Cleveland to celebrate West Side Market’s Centennial

Councilman Joe Cimperman’s voice echoed through the West Side Market.

“Let’s get this party started,” he enthusiastically bellowed during the launch of the Market’s Centennial Celebration – a yearlong series of events that will honor the past 100 years of Cleveland’s grande dame, and celebrate the limitless future of this unique Cleveland icon.

The always-engaging councilman joined with Mayor Frank Jackson and other dignitaries, vendors, shoppers and Ohio City residents on February 6th to reveal the long-anticipated details of the Centennial Celebration.  The Centennial events – which focus on community building, culinary fetes and education – feature a public street festival, a high profile Gala featuring local and national chefs and regular programming that celebrates the surrounding neighborhood and ethnic traditions of Cleveland’s public market. 

More than 100 supporters enthusiastically filled the southeast corner of the Market and squeezed tightly through the concourses around Campbell’s Popcorn for the announcement.  Many seemed most notably delighted by these news tidbits:

·         On Sunday, October 7th, the Market will be open on a Sunday for the first time in a decade; and The Great Lakes Brewing Company will be handcrafting an official Centennial Brew for the celebration.

 Many in the crowd tweeted live updates about the 100th birthday bash.  Social media platforms are helping to tell the story of the OHC and the West Side Market, and intensifying and growing their loyal and devoted following.  The official Centennial hashtag, which will be used year-round – #wsm100 – became a trending topic (or a “frequently discussed” topic) in greater Cleveland the days after the announcement. 

Speakers at the press conference, which received extensive coverage by the Plain Dealer and many local news stations, included national chef celebrity and Clevelander Jonathon Sawyer, and our local OHC celebrities Diane Dever and Melissa DeCaro – Market vendors – who reflected on the personal connection that they and their families share with the institution. 

Amanda Dempsey, Market District Director, said a strong civic, corporate and community collaboration was critical to planning a celebration of this magnitude.

“We are excited for the community to partake in these activities designed to pay homage to the Market’s storied past as well as its current position at the forefront of Cleveland’s emerging local food economy,” she said.

Other faces in the crowd included OHC chief Eric Wobser and his team, Council President Marty Sweeney, Councilman Matt Zone, Pat Conway from the Great Lakes Brewing Company, Mike and Pete Mitchell from Mitchell’s Homemade Ice Cream, West Side Market Manager Christine Zuniga Eadie, OHC resident and former Congresswoman Mary Rose Oakar and Charter One president Ken Marblestone. 

Charter One received special thanks from many at the event for becoming the presenting sponsor of the Centennial Celelbration.  Charter One has invested more than a half a million dollars to the OC Market District over the pas t two years to assist with development in the district.