ALTON - Alton Main Street's Night Market allows folks from across the area to peruse and peddle locally-made treasures.
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Hosted at the pocket park next to and the interior of Jacoby Arts Center on Thursday evenings (except July 4), the Night Market allows local vendors to rent a booth for $10 to showcase their merchandise. Alton Main Street Executive Director Sara McGibany said the event fills a need identified by a survey put forth from the organization for more artist-centric activities in the area. The event is also dog-friendly.
In the pocket park, accompanied by local music, vendors were set up under canopies and behind tables. One such vendor was Caissa Shelton of Dingbats Treasures.
Shelton's art adorns hangable canvases as well as unique coverings for "traveler's notebooks." She said she has been vending the Night Market as well as the Farmer and
Artisans' Market on Saturdays, which is also an Alton Main Street event.
Angelique Gray, who founded River Rosie, sells nostaglic head wraps remisicent of Rosie the Riveter of World War II game. She has been a staple of the Night Market for quite a while.
"It's gotten even better this year," she said. "They added food!"
Food is being sold from nearby local businesses: Germania, Decaro's and Brown Bag Bistro. McGibany said the food rotates week by week to keep up variety. Cold beverages are also being provided by Old Bakery Beer Company.
Another staple vendor of the Night Market, Nikki Busler, operates "Once Upon a Design," a design businesses with witty t-shirts, stickers, pins and other sundry items with fun catchphrases and eye-catching designs. Busler agreed with Gray regarding the improvements to the Night Market and said she had really seen a rush from 7:30-8 p.m. Thursday's night.
More information can be found at www.downtownalton.com
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