Artistic Theme
ArtsFest added to this year’s
Trackside Vintage Market
The annual fall event has gained popularity
since it began in 2013
LA GRANGE, Ky. (September 2020) – Since its beginnings in fall 2013, the annual Trackside Market in La Grange, Ky., has been a huge hit with those looking for vintage, antique, re-purposed and hand-crafted items. This year a new component has been added to increase offerings and provide something for everyone.
“Last year’s event was extremely successful,” said Sandi Fulks, executive director of the La Grange, Ky., Main Street Program. “In addition to our incredible Historic Main Street District stores and our La Grange Farmers & Artisans Market that takes place every Saturday from 9 a.m. – 1 p.m. on the Courthouse lawn, we had 26 additional vendors and musical performances on Main Street. The crowds were amazing, and the vendors all had great traffic throughout the day. By the end of the day, shoppers and vendors were telling us how much they enjoyed it and asking that we do it again this year.”
Even in light of the COVID-19 pandemic, “we have had great response from vendors and individuals asking about this year’s show. So we are thrilled to be able to continue the tradition against this year,” said Fulks.
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Photo provided La Grange (KY) Main Street and local merchants are bringing back the Trackside Market in September |
In an effort to make the event bigger and better, this year’s Trackside Market will incorporate more artisans, crafts, vintage items, and live music in the form of ArtsFest. ArtsFest 2020 & the Trackside Vintage Market is scheduled to take place from 9 a.m. - 5 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 12, along Main Street and Walnut Street in La Grange. This event is sponsored by Main Street Bourbon and Ale and Mercantile on Main.
“We are so fortunate to have Jody Curry, owner of Mercantile on Main, as our Committee Chairman. Jody has an incredible network of contacts nationwide to draw from to make sure our vendors are interesting and unique,” said Fulks.
This curated and juried vintage and arts and crafts market will consist of artists, craftspeople and a few vintage vendors, Curry said. “We had hoped to have a music event on Friday evening, but the concert was canceled because the location (Walnut Street) and likely large attendance would have made it difficult to follow state guidelines. We are planning on street musicians on Main Street on Sept. 12 to entertain attendees as they shop.”
Curry agreed with Fulks that last year’s September Trackside Market was very successful.”We had a large number of attendees, and the vendors were very happy with their sales that day. It was a festive and fun event.”
Organizers were aware that with the cancellation of Arts on the Green, “it was an opportunity to expand this event,” said Fulks. “This is one of the La Grange Main Street Program’s signature annual events, promoting our unique downtown shopping district, local restaurants and businesses.”
“Downtown La Grange events are always popular and well-attended,” Curry said. “A street market offers locals and visitors a chance to get out on a late summer day to shop and eat in the Main Street district, and enjoy the items offered by the participating vendors.”
Originally, the Main Street Program had scheduled the 2020 ArtsFest for the first week of June, said Curry. “Of course, we had to reschedule the event due to COVID-19. Because we already had a second Trackside Vintage Market on the calendar for September, our original plan was to merge the two events for one large market. ArtsFest was added because it had to be rescheduled from its original June date.”
Curry said that most of the vendors who applied for ArtsFest wanted to be included in the new date of Sept. 12. “We are trying to keep the market a manageable size as far as room to adequately space booths for purposes of social distancing,” she said. “Consequently, we don’t have as much room for the large vintage vendor booths that we had on Main Street last year in September.”
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic and its subsequent restrictions, Fulks said that “I think people are craving human interaction and an opportunity for some normalcy. They are taking precautions to keep themselves and others safe.”
She cited the weekly Farmers Market as an example. Attendees “are courteous, follow CDC guidelines, and each week the crowd has grown as public confidence has been regained.”
Fulks said there have been “many inquiries from people asking about the show and telling us how much they are looking forward to it, that we expect a great turnout. It is so exciting to see the people on the sidewalks shopping again, our restaurants busy and people enjoying the sunshine while enjoying the outdoor seating on Main Street.”
To comply with COVID-19 rules, Fulks said that,”we will follow state guidelines for outdoor events. We will be putting some distance between booths similar to our Farmers Market to provide more space for social distancing. We will have signs asking that masks be worn if social distancing of six feet is not possible. We will also have hand sanitizing stations available.”
She said, “The safety of our visitors, residents, friends and families are our No. 1 priority. I do think many people are looking forward to getting out and enjoying events and interaction with people, as long as it can be done safely.”
This event brings with it the chance for visitors and local people to experience “the “vibe” of our downtown,” said Fulks. “We were recently proclaimed ‘The Kindness Capital of Kentucky,’ and that feeling is an influence in all we do.”
She said La Grange is “just a cool, friendly place to shop, eat and play. You can literally go from store to store and booth to booth just “visiting” with people. And with the variety of vendors we’ve curated, I promise you’ll see things you haven’t seen before and treasures that you have to take home.”