Park Silly Sunday Market granted one-year extension after split city council vote

Park Silly has hosted over 2.8 million people over the course of 18 years and has helped to foster / incubate over 175 small businesses. Photo: TownLift // Rayne Moyhnahan.

PARK CITY, Utah — The Park City Council voted 3-2 to approve a one-year extension of the Park Silly Sunday Market’s City Service Agreement at its meeting yesterday.

Public sentiment on the market’s future has been equally split, with some of the opinion that the market poses difficulties for businesses and homeowners on lower Main Street and others stating that it is an invaluable asset to local artists and makers.

City council members Jeremy Rubell, Max Doilney, and Becca Gerber voted in favor of the agreement, and council members Tana Toly and Ryan Dickey voted against it.

“I think we all know that the community is pretty split on this,” Gerber said. “I don’t think there’s an easy answer. I’m fine with having a one-year extension; I think our community would like to see some other options in other locations.”

“There are still many mom-and-pop stores on Main Street who work day in and day out; they don’t sit around thinking of how to cater to millionaires,” Toly said. “Those are our businesses who pay property taxes, those are our businesses who are here paying sales tax every single day, and to hear from so many of them saying their businesses are affected by Sundays…”

Under the approved agreement, the Park Silly Sunday Market will operate 11 Sundays throughout the summer, a reduction of three days compared to the 2022 season.

The Park Silly Sunday Market will return to the city council’s agenda in the spring, discussing the market’s future in 2024 and beyond.