The Belleville Indie Market hits East Main Street this weekend with dozens of vendors
This Saturday, Aug. 24, the Belleville Indie Market returns to downtown Belleville for its fourth year
The market was originally known as the West End Indie Market. In May and July 2021, the markets were held on the 900 block of West Main Street and included around 30 vendors.
In 2022, the market was held in August and October on South High Street, and last year, the two market events were held in June and October. The number of vendors increased each year.
This year, the market branches out along East Main Street and will feature more than 90 vendors. Folks can check out a variety of work from local artisans, creative entrepreneurs and vintage curators, according to the event details on the Belleville Indie Market Facebook page.
The Belleville Indie Market was created by local artist Ash Satterthwaite, who describes herself as a multi-discipline visual artist and storyteller, giving her creativity as much freedom as possible to flourish. She is happiest when she’s able to bounce from one medium to the next.
From a storyteller aspect, Satterthwaite likes when people come to these events and connect with the artists and their work.
This year’s Belleville Indie Market theme is “The Wizard of Oz,” particularly the idea that there’s no place like home.
Saturday’s Indie Market will be the only one for 2024, according to Satterthwaite, who is the sole organizer of the event.
It’s a lot of work, she said, but “as long as people want it, I’ll keep doing it.”
Her main reason for holding the market is to bring together a mixture of artists, vendors, printmakers, vintage sellers, creative entrepreneurs … anybody doing something creative and out-of-the-box.
Vendors at this year’s market will offer soaps, candles, jewelry, foods, apparel and accessories, stickers, arts and crafts, art in various media and much more.
A list of vendors is available online at visithoneyland.com.
Satterthwaite said the market was consistent from year to year and allowed her to meet fellow creatives. She’s connected with fellow creatives through other market events and feels that the Belleville Indie Market is moving in a positive direction.
Moving forward, she wants the event to focus more on community.
“My vision is a block party,” said Satterthwaite.
She acknowledged the close-knit relationship the community has with the businesses in downtown Belleville and wants to work with those businesses.
When Satterthwaite went before the Belleville City Council in June to request a street closure for the event, business owners Christine Blanquart and Andria Powell spoke in favor of the Belleville Indie Market, its previous success and the positive impact the event would have on their businesses.
Blanquart, owner of Blanquart’s Rusty Gem Vintage Market, has not only attended the event as a customer but was a participating vendor the previous two years.
Powell said that moving the event down East Main Street closer to her business would also benefit both her shop and the market since its vendor merchandise is similar to products she sells at Circa Boutique + Gifts.
I stopped by the Rusty Gem to visit Blanquart. According to her, Satterthwaite will leave her storefront clear, and The Rusty Gem will be open for the event.
Blanquart is impressed with how organized and together Satterthwaite is in planning the market. She recently saw Satterthwaite out on East Main Street measuring the sidewalk for the vendor spaces in preparation of Saturday’s event.
The market is “such a good mix” of vendors with something for everyone, said Blanquart. “Ash could’ve gone anywhere” to hold the market, such as the Tower Grove area or Cherokee Street, both in St. Louis. But she chose Belleville. “It’s so much fun.”
About the Belleville Indie Market
The Belleville Indie Market takes place 6-10 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 24, on East Main Street between High and Jackson streets and on South High Street in downtown Belleville.
For more information, visit visithoneyland.com/bellevilleindie.
