MARKET & EVENTS ASSISTANT
Independent Contractor Opportunity | Tri-State Mercantile | Port Jervis, NY
Love Port Jervis? Love people, markets, local makers, and creating experiences that bring a community together? We might be looking for you.
Tri-State Mercantile is looking to connect with a dependable, energetic, and people-focused Market & Events Assistant to provide event-based support for our growing calendar of markets, workshops, and community events.
Tri-State Mercantile was created with a simple mission: Create • Connect • Inspire. We're building a space in Port Jervis where local makers, small businesses, creativity, and community come together — and we're looking for someone who is genuinely excited about helping bring that vision to life.
THE OPPORTUNITY
This is a flexible, independent contractor opportunity centered primarily around specific markets, workshops, special events, and holiday programming.
Assignments will be offered based on our event calendar and operational needs. Contractors will have the ability to accept or decline individual opportunities based on their availability.
Depending on the engagement, services may include:
Assisting with event setup and breakdown
Welcoming and assisting vendors, customers, and workshop participants
Providing on-site support during markets and events
Helping vendors locate spaces and get settled
Assisting with check-in and general event needs
Helping keep event spaces clean, welcoming, and organized
Responding to routine issues that arise during an event
Providing a friendly and professional presence on behalf of Tri-State Mercantile
Assisting with occasional event-preparation, organizational, promotional, or administrative projects
SCHEDULE & UPCOMING EVENTS
This is not a regular full-time or traditional scheduled position. Opportunities are offered on an event-by-event or project basis and are ideal for someone looking for flexible, supplemental work.
Our busiest initial stretch will begin October 28 through November 1, 2026, followed by our Holiday Pop-Up Markets on:
November 7
November 14
November 28
We will also have additional holiday programming in December.
Individual market and event engagements may generally involve approximately 8–10 hours, including event setup and breakdown.
Going forward, Tri-State Mercantile plans to host at least one pop-up market each month, along with workshops and special events throughout the year, creating opportunities for continued event-based work.
Weekend availability is especially helpful.
WHO WE'D LOVE TO WORK WITH
We're less concerned about having the perfect résumé and more interested in finding the right person.
You should be:
Trustworthy and dependable
Hardworking and willing to jump in where needed
Friendly, outgoing, and genuinely good with people
Organized and comfortable in a busy event environment
Able to work independently and solve problems
Flexible and able to adapt when plans change
Positive and welcoming
Someone who takes pride in doing a job well
Excited about supporting local makers and small businesses
Familiar with and enthusiastic about the Port Jervis and greater Tri-State community
Someone we can trust to represent Tri-State Mercantile well
Event, market, retail, hospitality, customer service, administrative, or community-event experience is a plus — but personality, reliability, initiative, and community spirit matter most to us.
COMPENSATION
Compensation will be established by event or project engagement based on the scope, expected time commitment, and responsibilities involved.
This opportunity is structured as an independent contractor engagement. Contractors are responsible for their own taxes and other obligations associated with self-employment.
ABOUT TRI-STATE MERCANTILE
Tri-State Mercantile is a new, community-focused shop and gathering space in Port Jervis, founded by Jessica Curtis Hall and Heather Jenkins, two Port Jervis natives passionate about creating something special for the community they grew up in.
The Mercantile will feature local makers, creative goods, workshops, pop-up markets, and special events.
We're building something that celebrates the people, creativity, small businesses, and character of the Tri-State area — and we'd love to connect with someone who wants to help us grow it.
Create • Connect • Inspire.
INTERESTED?
Send us a brief introduction along with your résumé, general availability, any relevant experience, and — most importantly — why you'd like to work with Tri-State Mercantile.