From GoggleWorks Center for the Arts
A beloved downtown Reading market tradition will continue this summer as GoggleWorks Center for the Arts launches Reading Roots Market, a new weekly farmers market that preserves and reimagines the former Penn Street Market.
With organizational changes and continued development downtown, Penn Street Market was at risk of disappearing if it could not find a new home. With support from Wyomissing Foundation, GoggleWorks is stepping in to carry the market forward, bringing local food, community partners, art, culture, and public gathering into the heart of its downtown campus, just a few blocks from the previous iteration of the market.
Reading Roots Market will open Thursday, June 11, in the courtyard of GoggleWorks Center for the Arts, located at 201 Washington St. The market will take place every Thursday from June 11 through Oct. 8, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.
The market will feature fresh produce and vendors, among them the Bog Turtle Creek Farm, Farm Traveler LLC, and GoggleWorks Gardens at Lauer’s Park, along with art demonstrations, family-friendly activities, live entertainment, and community organizations.
“Reading Roots Market is about more than preserving a farmers market,” said Levi Landis, Executive Director. “It is about protecting a vital community gathering space, supporting local food access, celebrating creativity, and making downtown Reading a more vibrant place to live, work, and visit.”
The inaugural market on June 11 will include invited community leaders and dignitaries, with remarks by Senator Judy Schwank, Representative Johanny Cepeda-Freytiz, Reading City Council President Donna Reed, Reading City Councilors Chris Miller and Jaime Baez Jr., and Maritza Loaiza, City Core Manager, recognizing the importance of local food, community connection, and downtown revitalization.
The launch comes as GoggleWorks continues to activate its expanding outdoor campus, including the new Art Park, Thorn Alley Stage, and Thorn Alley Kitchen. Together, these spaces create new infrastructure for markets, performances, public events, food experiences, and cultural programming in downtown Reading.
Opening day will extend beyond the market itself, creating a full afternoon of food, art, culture, and community celebration. Following the market, GoggleWorks will welcome visiting textile artist Avelina Martínez García for a special live weaving demonstration from 1:30 to 3 p.m. on the Thorn Alley Stage. Presented in partnership with the Consulate of Mexico, the bilingual program will highlight Indigenous textile traditions, including natural dyeing, spinning, and backstrap loom weaving.
At 3 p.m., GoggleWorks will continue the celebration at Thorn Alley Kitchen with a World Cup kick-off viewing party featuring Mexico vs. South Africa. Guests can watch the match while enjoying food and drink specials available for purchase. The event will also launch a broader series of World Cup watch parties at GoggleWorks, supported by new televisions inside Thorn Alley Kitchen and a new projector and large screen for outdoor screenings in Thorn Alley.
GoggleWorks will host watch parties throughout the World Cup, including a special tournament event on July 2 as a “Pre-Party” before the Reading Fan Zone festivities.
Community members, families, downtown workers, and visitors are invited to join the opening day celebration on Thursday, June 11, and return throughout the season for fresh produce, local creativity, lunch at Thorn Alley Kitchen, cultural programs, and community connection.
Opening Day Schedule — Thursday, June 11
Reading Roots Market: 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Live Weaving Demo with Avelina Martínez García: 1:30 to 3 p.m.
Mexico vs. South Africa Viewing Party at Thorn Alley Kitchen: 3 to 5 p.m.
For additional information, vendor opportunities, or community partnership inquiries, please contact ReadingRoots@goggleworks.org.
About GoggleWorks Center for the Arts
GoggleWorks Center for the Arts is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit cultural center in downtown Reading, PA, and the nation’s largest art center of its kind. Located in a former goggle factory spanning nearly an entire city block, GoggleWorks serves more than 250,000 visitors annually through arts education, exhibitions, performances, community programs, artist residencies, youth programs, and summer camps. The campus features 30 on-site studio artists, three galleries, the Albert and Eunice Boscov Theater, Thorn Alley Kitchen restaurant, Thorn Alley Stage live music venue, The New Store, an Art Supply Store, the Berks LaunchBox maker space, and 16 communal studios dedicated to disciplines including ceramics, glass, metals, woodworking, printmaking, photography, textiles, digital media, music, drawing and painting, and urban gardening. GoggleWorks is also home to nearly 40 resident organizations, ranging from small businesses to nonprofit partners. Learn more at goggleworks.org.
