Market Moves To The Cool

By JESSICA PETERSON

The Progress

The Fine Arts Building at the Clark County Fairgrounds was bursting with energy on Saturday morning, July 9. Locals gathered to shop, eat, and visit at Moapa Valley’s ‘Second Saturday Market.’

The Second Saturday Market is a recurring event which is held on the second Saturday of each month. It began in January and has been growing in popularity ever since. In past months, the market has been held at the Old Logandale School. But this month, there was a change of venue. This new location provided a larger air-conditioned space to accommodate more vendors and shoppers.

Around 25 booths were set up throughout the building. Local vendors and small business owners sold a variety of homemade or hand-crafted goods. Soap, bath salts, candles, jewelry, crystals, decor, books, clothes, games, and Tupperware could be found as well as delicious foods such as caramel apples, lemonade, baked goods, local honey, and fresh produce. Some vendors also offered fun services such as henna tattoos, facepaint, photography, and jewelry-making.

Local band “WillPhil Change” provided entertainment on one side of the room. Chairs and tables were set up and many attendees gathered to listen to familiar cover songs by artists such as Green Day, Eddie Van Halen, and more.

Near the band, Chris and Kim Alexander of Mesquite set up shop for their first time at the Second Saturday Market. They sold beautiful and lightweight handcrafted wooden jewelry, cut and engraved with a laser.

Kim is the artist behind the designs. She doodles patterns and sketches which Chris then transfers onto the wood and engraves into the jewelry. Chris also uses the laser to cut the wood into shapes and decorative designs. The cutting and engraving process can take around thirty minutes to complete for each individual piece of jewelry.

“We do it as a hobby,” Chris said. “We bought the laser about a year ago and we have been practicing and perfecting our technique since then.”

At another booth, Angela Provost of Pom Valley Candle could be found. Provost makes homemade candles with scents specifically tailored to Moapa Valley.
“I really get inspired by agriculture and things growing in my neighbors gardens,” Provost said. “I love it out here, I really do.”

Some of her candle scents included Country Pomegranate, Pomegranate Cherry, Desert Lavender, Logandale Sunflower, and–Provost’s personal favorite–Alfalfa and Honey. She has been a part of the Second Saturday Market since February.

Scott and April Robinson of “The Rockman Rocks” had several tables lined up displaying different gems and crystals. They sold fossils, coral, shaped quartz, petrified wood, and a variety of crystals collected from places all around the world including Madagascar, Brazil, and Morocco.

The Robinsons also sold beautiful decorations including colorful gem trees, septarian nodules, sculptures, rock animals, and soap dispensers made of onyx and marble.

The next Second Saturday Market will be held on August 13 from 8 a.m. to 12 noon. Join them again at the fairgrounds to support local businesses and enjoy food, art, entertainment, and more!