We can’t wait for The Market on Chapel Hill! You can view a recap of last year’s event, plus blog entries from attendees and vendors here.  Check out the article below highlighting this year’s event from the Montgomery Advertiser.

Paul Sullivan 3:19 p.m. CDT September 7, 2015: The Market on Chapel Hill will be held at The Waters development on Oct. 3 and is expected to draw thousands of people from several states if the 2014 gathering is an accurate guide.

The vintage goods market started two years ago with eight vendors, and has grown to about two dozen in just two years, said Pike Road communications director Kadie Crowell.

“In its third year, it has grown into an annual market with 23 vendors and bloggers from across the country,” Crowell said. “Last year’s market brought shoppers to Pike Road from 27 states and five countries, with most staying two nights in the area. Located in The Waters subdivision and centered around The Chapel at the Waters, this year’s event promises to be better than ever.”

The market is held every October and focuses on vintage, antique and one-of-a-kind items showcased at a one-day event. It all starts at 9 a.m. and concludes at 4 p.m. The Montgomery Trolley will provide transportation from parking areas in The Waters.

Food vendors will be on hand from 7 a.m. providing breakfast, and then lunch. Coffee, courtesy of Market Town Coffee Cart, sausage biscuits from the Pike Road Lions Club, and bakery goods from a French Pressed Home in Union Springs will all be available, Crowell said.

Lunch will be offered by Pike Road’s own Tammy Griffin of “A Catered Affair.” Admission is $5 at the door.

Dr. Dale Entrekin said the event has created some memorable stories of how visitors have responded to the market, and the River Region. Entrekin and Dr. Bill Cornwell help coordinate the event.

“I remember one couple drove all the way from Colorado to attend, and ended up spending the week,” Entrekin said. “This is a very unique show for this part of the country. It is not an arts and crafts show or an antique show. But for those who follow these bloggers and their interests, it is all about the vintage style, re-purposing, a little nostalgia and getting to meet some of the industry leaders of this particular style.”

The Chapel at The Waters, a wedding and event venue, helps sponsor the event, Crowell said, adding that many shoppers look for unique Christmas gifts that are sure to wow everyone, while others are exploring for ideas to redecorate their homes.

“Either way, few have ever left empty-handed or without seeing something they’ve never seen before. The one-of-a-kind items featured in the market range from paintings to furniture to jewelry. There is something for everyone, especially those who are looking for more do-it-yourself ideas,” Crowell said.

The market started out as a place where nationally-known bloggers in the do-it-yourself and vintage world could mix and mingle with their followers from across the country, Crowell said.

The bloggers sell merchandise and products which helped make them famous. Vendors come to Pike Road from Pennsylvania, Illinois, Indiana, North Carolina, Arizona, Louisiana, and many from Alabama.

The market has helped put Pike Road on the map in the minds of many who have traveled to the River Region for the sole purpose of shopping at The Waters.

“… I think it’s safe to say that most of those who attend the market had never heard of Pike Road until this event,” Entrekin said. “Everyone is fascinated with the name of the town of course. But more than that, they are so impressed with, with the entire Pike Road community. After the first show, one of the couples who attended ended up buying a lot just down the street from the Chapel and plan to retire here.”

The Town of Pike Road has also started to receive more name recognition as the ‘Welcome Home’ motto and Southern hospitality of the community continues to be recognized and embraced among the bloggers, Crowell said.

“We hope they continue to tell their friends and family of their happy memories here, and more importantly, we hope they travel back often to make even more memories,” Crowell said.

Vendors fill the chapel with their handmade goods and unique items, but it doesn’t end there. Furniture and other pretty items spill over onto the lawn where more vendors set up under a tent covering the entire hill, Crowell said.