Nearly 3,000 shoppers brave weather for fall Geneva Market

Rain and mud didn’t stop more than 100 vendors from the rare chance to sell their products in person this year.

As a light drizzle, expected to grow heavier throughout the day, fell over the Geneva Market Friday morning, Janis Miller, owner of J&J Candles of Manson, Iowa, readied her stock for guests to peruse. For Miller, and many other ven-dors, it was the first show she’s attended since March due to the COVID-19 pan-demic.

As her main business venture, Miller has had to rely on sales from online orders and from stores that carry her products, but those don’t translate the same as in-person vendor shows.

“It takes a lot to equal what we do here,” she said. “If the attendance is good, it’s great for us.”

According to Geneva Betterment Committee President Tanya Sanders, attendance was favorable for a successful weekend for vendors.

“Even during constant rain on Friday, 900 people showed up and shopped as if it was a sunny day,” she said. “It was almost surreal.”

Sanders es-timated that the market welcomed 3,000 shoppers over the two day event, with 2,100 on Saturday. In order to protect both guests and vendors, booths were spread out throughout the grounds and signs encouraging social dis-tancing were placed across the lawns.

Sanders said that shoppers were mindful of the new social parameters of the pandemic and paid close attention to their surroundings in order to ensure the fun and safety of all those present.

“Shoppers seemed delighted to have a fun event to get out and at-tend and feel somewhat safe at,” she said. “Being outside, we say that everyone moved at the pace that they were comfortable with.”

Miller said she saw that enthusiasm from customers as they passed by her table. Their desire to shop, in turn, provided smiles and enjoyment that had been rare since March.

“I am a so-cial person and have a hard time not having that interac-tion with customers,” she said. “I always believe that everyone is a stranger only once, so many of these people are not just my customers, but my friends.”

Last weekend’s event marked the second installation of the market this year. The first was held in last June after being postponed from the spring market’s normal date in May. Sanders said she’s thrilled that the Betterment Committee has been able to host the market with parameters in place, as the market is a vital asset to both vendors and shoppers.

“Many small businesses have expressed frustration about so many show opportunities for them being cancelled and many of them said that they have only been able to sell at a few this year, with the Geneva Market being two of them,” she said. “They really appreciated our group’s determination to move forward to support everyone.”

Money raised through the market each year is put towards improve-ments at the former school ground. This year’s funds have been tabbed for putting new siding on a bus barn. Along with the fundraiser for the school facelift, the event also benefits area causes, including The Pony Express, which helps take admission at the gate.

Along with the fundraisers, guests were also asked to bring an item of food, which were collected and donated to the Ackley Food Pantry.

Sanders said each year, the market is a re-minder of the strength and unity of rural Iowa and that feeling has been amplified as people continue to support one another amid the COVID-19 pandemic. She said she hopes the market provided shoppers and vendors a small taste of normalcy in a world that is clouded in uncertainty.

“We hope everyone left with not only a bunch of great finds, but also with a refreshed and uplifted outlook on life,” she said.