Shepherdstown Street Fest continues to grow, in second year post-pandemic

From left, Frederick, Md. residents Ellen Koeberleia and her mother, Kim Nelson, enjoy Shepherdstown Street Fest with Shepherdstown resident Didi Jacot on Saturday afternoon. Tabitha Johnston
SHEPHERDSTOWN — After a successful return last year, following the COVID-19 Pandemic, the 2023 Shepherdstown Street Fest drew a noticeably larger crowd to its booths, food trucks and music stages in downtown Shepherdstown on Saturday.
Just as the crowd had grown in number from last year’s festival, so had the food trucks and artisan booths.
“It’s exceeded my expectations!” said Shepherdstown Street Fest organizer John Meeker. “I think there’s more people here than last year, already!”
While many things remained the same, between this year’s and last year’s festival plans, Meeker noted a thematic difference.
“Last year’s event was all about homecoming and having super local musical acts for the main stage and library stage,” Meeker said. “This year, we went out and found the best performers we could find in the region. We tried to present a diverse array of genres, from go-go to brass funk to indie rock to bluegrass!”

Shepherdstown Street Fest attendees drink together in the beer garden along King Street on Saturday afternoon. Tabitha Johnston
Another change between this and last year’s festival was the proceed recipients.
“Shepherdstown StreetFest is a 501(c)3 nonprofit, all-volunteer organization dedicated to showcasing our region and the many talented people who live in it, while raising much-needed funds for two local charities each year,” Meeker said. “This year’s beneficiaries will be Shepherdstown Volunteer Fire Department and Stars that Shine, a regional organization that offers empowerment programs and support for girls ages 12-20 in the Eastern Panhandle.”
Shepherdstown resident Carmen Slater noted her appreciation for the charitable aspect of Shepherdstown Street Fest, as she manned a booth at the end of the festival’s beer garden on South King Street.
“This is my first year volunteering at Street Fest,” Slater said, noting she and her husband live across the street from the Shepherdstown Street Fest beer garden entrance. “We’ve only lived here for three years, but I came last year and looked around. I think it looks busier than last year. It was quite hot then.”
For Meeker, seeing the growth over the past two years has encouraged him to continue expanding it in the future.

Seven-year-old Eden Lerman paints a wooden star in the children's activity area at Shepherdstown Street Fest on Saturday afternoon. Tabitha Johnston
“Our intent is to make this an annual event. The original organizers didn’t want to do it every year, so they did it every other or every couple. COVID then cancelled it altogether,” Meeker said. “Now, with the change in leadership, we’re going to do it every year.
“It’s a lot of work, but I’m on disability now, so I’ve got a lot of free time,” Meeker said. “I feel that I owe it to my community to do something that helps my community. And I’m glad that I found something that I like, that allows me to do just that!”
One area for potential expansion of the festival, may be to extend it down South Princess Street, according to Community Garden Market owner Scott Anderson. Anderson helped his sister and brother-in-law, Jillian and Jim Killian, set up signs at Street Fest, encouraging attendees to visit the Killian’s reading mobile and booth, Reading Tree Books & Gifts, in the Community Garden Market parking lot.
“Having booths down this street would help draw attention to the stores in this area of town, like it does with those on German Street. Scott asked us to come in and bring our book mobile to be Street Fest-adjacent this year,” Jim said.
“If it would grow down here, it would be great!” Anderson said.
- From left, Frederick, Md. residents Ellen Koeberleia and her mother, Kim Nelson, enjoy Shepherdstown Street Fest with Shepherdstown resident Didi Jacot on Saturday afternoon. Tabitha Johnston
- Shepherdstown Street Fest attendees drink together in the beer garden along King Street on Saturday afternoon. Tabitha Johnston
- Seven-year-old Eden Lerman paints a wooden star in the children’s activity area at Shepherdstown Street Fest on Saturday afternoon. Tabitha Johnston
- Shepherdstown Street Fest attendees enjoy food and conversation behind the Old Market House on Saturday afternoon. Tabitha Johnston
- Shepherdstown Street Fest attendees listen to The JOGO Project perform on Saturday night. Tabitha Johnston
- Shepherdstown Street Fest attendees play “keep up” in town square, during The JOGO Project perform on Saturday night.

Shepherdstown Street Fest attendees enjoy food and conversation behind the Old Market House on Saturday afternoon. Tabitha Johnston

Shepherdstown Street Fest attendees listen to The JOGO Project perform on Saturday night. Tabitha Johnston

Shepherdstown Street Fest attendees play "keep up" in town square, during The JOGO Project perform on Saturday night.