Cynthia Lou Freese, known as Cindy Lou by her close friends, is making the Winter Market happen this year. With the big role as the community developer and working for the online newspaper, The Marion Sun, she took charge of the market, making it family-friendly and a great experience for the whole community. Everyone is welcome, but Freese said, “Being an indoor market, we recommend attendees leave their four-legged family members at home.” However, Freese reassured that the pets won’t be left out of the market, with many locally owned businesses aimed at both people and pets of all kinds.
The market started February 10, and the next dates are February 24 and March 16, with the last date set for April 26, running from 10 A.M. to 2 P.M. Each one has a unique theme for the dates posted, which makes the atmosphere very individualized. The market has been an inviting environment and has had great involvement with the city. The market is held at the local American Legion. Many local vendors came to the first market, including small businesses like Katie Jo Quilts, based out of Ely, Iowa selling colorful quilts made from her hard working hands and SMAC artists who use their emotions and raw talent on a canvas based out of Marion, Iowa. Both of these artists can be found on Facebook, where one can see their gifted skills.
Not only does the event have many shopping opportunities, but it also has a selfie station at every market date posted. When shoppers come, they can snap a photo with an enjoyable backdrop and post to push out the event for more viewers to find. The upcoming markets will have a change of vendors, but those will be posted closer to the dates.
The market offers many local food places like the locally owned business, Blissful Bites Cheesecakes, which served many flavors of six inch mini cheesecakes like vanilla bean, chocolate covered cherry just in time for the Valentines season, and turtle cheesecake, along with KJ’s Smokin Snacks who gave out free samples of their recipes, and their prices range from six to eight dollars a bag. A handful of what they sold were dill ranch pretzels, honey sriracha “cheezy” crunchers, and their homemade snack mix. Freese said, “People can purchase some food items at the market, but we are not hosting food to be served onsite.” With this given, it ensures that while the shoppers are there, they can find many locally owned businesses and try all sorts of foods like the ones listed above.
The Marion Winter Market’s dates are posted around town and online. Going to the markets will help support locally owned businesses by bringing unfamiliar faces to the map, enriching the community by keeping the dollars local, and boosting the city as a whole with friendly businesses everywhere you go. The Winter Market is a safe, fun event for all ages to enjoy on the weekends.
