Wares, cars fill riverfront
Published 12:00 am Saturday, May 10, 2008
NATCHEZ — Vidalia Landing Flea Market’s annual spring market on the Vidalia Riverfront has promised to be a enjoyable day-long event for all walks of life.
From 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. today, locals can stroll along the riverfront and peruse the booths of 35 vendors, offering unique arts and crafts, antiques and more.
Carl Sayers, organizer of the spring market, said this is the second annual market to take place during this time of year.
For the past eight years a fall market in October was the only event, but Sayers said he thought he’d try one in the spring.
Last year’s event went well, he said, and the number of vendors has doubled.
Sayers said the spring market took place during April of last year.
“The weather caught us last year,” he said.
So the event has been permanently moved to May, for more timid weather.
He said the decision to have the market during Mother’s Day was intentional, as well.
This year, a car show has been added to the event.
“It’s the River City Bad Boys Car Club and they host a car show,” he said.
This adds a new dimension to the event and will hopefully bring more people in, he said.
“The car show gives people something extra to do during the day and gives the flea market more people, too,” Sayers said.
Admission is free.
“We keep it a free event for the local people to come enjoy without having to pay a fee,” Sayers said.
Vidalia Landing Flea Market however does get some funds by renting space to the vendors.
One of the purposes of the event is to show off the Miss-Lou, Sayers said.
“It’s to bring more people to Vidalia and Natchez to show them what we have here,” he said.
A food booth will be at the event, which will sell pulled pork sandwiches and other food items.
All the money raised from the food booth will be donated to Relay for Life.
“I always support them,” Sayers said. “They’re a good cause and a good effort and they’re always trying to raise money.”
He said since the annual Relay for Life walk-a-thon was postponed until June due to flooding issues on the riverfront, this is a good chance to raise more money for them.
While the spring market is only a one-day event, Sayers said he hopes to expand it to two days in the future.
“We want to see it grow first,” he said.
The event will be under the bridge.