5 Weeks to Market: Things Are Getting REAL!

 

October 10 | 10 AM–2 PM | Dows Community Building

Five weeks.

FIVE WEEKS.

That sounds like plenty of time, right?

Right?!

Well…we're choosing to believe that. 

The October 10 Y'allternative Market on Main is officially five weeks away, and things have definitely shifted from “Wouldn't it be fun to do another market?” to “OH MY GOSH, WE HAVE A LOT TO DO.”

The good news? Things are coming together!

And the behind-the-scenes work has been BUSY.

We're Making Things, Too!

Here's something you might not realize about the people organizing a handmade market:

We also have to make stuff.

Yep.

While we've been busy recruiting vendors, answering questions, organizing the building, planning advertising and generally trying to keep all the plates spinning, Hayley and Shannon have also been working on our own products to sell at the market.

Because apparently organizing a market with 30+ vendors wasn't enough work. 

So while we're telling everyone else to get their inventory ready, we're looking at our own piles of supplies thinking:

“Hmm. We should probably make some things.”

There is nothing quite like a deadline to get a maker's creative juices flowing!

The Great Vendor Shuffle Has Begun

One of the big jobs happening right now is mapping out the indoor vendors.

With so many different makers, bakers, artists and small businesses joining us, we want to be thoughtful about where everyone is located.

We're looking at traffic flow, entrances, space requirements, electricity and, of course, making sure we don't accidentally create a marketplace version of musical chairs.

We're also down to the last few outdoor vendor spots, so if you've been thinking about joining us, now is definitely the time to reach out.

We're excited about the variety of vendors we're putting together for this market, and we're being intentional about creating a shopping experience with lots of different things to discover.

We're Taking It to the Streets!

And speaking of outdoor space…

We're working on something a little bigger for October.

We're taking a street closure request to the Dows City Council at their next meeting, with the hope of being able to extend the market experience out onto Garfield Street - east of the Dows Community Bulding!

We're crossing fingers, toes and anything else that can be crossed. 

If everything comes together, it will give us even more opportunity to bring vendors, shoppers and activity outside the community building and onto Garfield Street.

And honestly?

That's exactly the kind of thing we love about doing this market.

We're not just putting tables in a building.

We're trying to create a reason for people to come to Dows, spend some time here and enjoy a little small-town street fun. Read THIS BLOG POST for all the activities around the last Dows Market on Main.

The Advertising Volume Is Going UP!

You've probably noticed that we're starting to show up in your Facebook feed a little more lately.

That's not your imagination.

We're officially entering the “TELL EVERYONE” phase. 

We're ramping up advertising, sharing information about the market and getting the word out to as many people as possible.

Because the best market in the world isn't much fun if nobody knows it's happening!

So if you see a market post from us, share it.

Tag your shopping buddy.

Send it to your sister.

Tell your mom.

Tell your neighbor.

Tell that friend who says she doesn't need anything and then somehow leaves every craft market carrying three bags.

You know who she is. 

Meet the Vendors!

We're also kicking off our Vendor Spotlight posts! Check out the first one HERE!

One of our favorite parts of putting this market together is getting to know the people behind the businesses.

We don't want our vendors to just be names on a list.

We want you to know who made the things you'll find at their tables.

Over the next few weeks, we'll be introducing you to returning favorites, new vendors and all sorts of talented people who are bringing their creations to Dows.

So keep an eye on our Facebook page and the blog and start making your must-shop list.

Just don't blame us when that list gets really, really long.

And Yes…There Are Still a Few Spots!

We're getting very close to being completely full!

At this point, we're taking the last few outdoor vendors, so if you've been considering joining us for the October 10 market, don't wait too long.

We're working hard to create a market that's full of interesting things to see, shop and experience and we'd love to have a few more great vendors join us. Keep in mind, registering doesn't automatically guarantee acceptance into the Dows Market on Main, we are doing our best to create a unique and varied group of vendors!

Five Weeks From Now…

Five weeks from now, all of this planning will look very different.

Instead of spreadsheets, maps and lists, there will be tables filled with handmade goods.

Instead of emails and Facebook messages, there will be vendors greeting shoppers.

Instead of talking about food trucks, we'll hopefully be standing in line for lunch. 

And instead of saying “We're getting ready for the market,” we'll finally be able to say:

“Welcome to the Y'allternative Market on Main!”

We're getting there.

The to-do list is still long.

The inventory isn't finished.

The vendor map is being shuffled around.

The advertising is just getting started.

And we're pretty sure Hayley and I will have at least one “What were we thinking?” moment between now and October 10.

But we're excited.

Five weeks to go. Let's do this! 

Y'allternative Market on Main

Saturday, October 10, 2026
10 AM–2 PM
Dows Community Building
Dows, Iowa

Follow along as we count down to market day and start planning your shopping trip to Dows!