Inside Trellis Marketplace, located at 153 E. High St., Elizabethtown, Charley Montgomery is building a community. Trellis is an artisan collaborative, with 35 vendors under one roof. Hoping to expand that community even more, Charley is organizing the second annual Trellis Marketplace Harvest Festival. The event will be held on Saturday, Oct. 16, in the parking lot of Christ Lutheran Church, next door to Trellis, as well as inside the store. The festival will run from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.
"This festival is an opportunity for me to showcase more vendors," Charley stated. "I have limited space in the store, and I hate saying no to people, so an event like this gives me the chance to work with more people."
She expects about 30 additional vendors at the Harvest Festival, including fine artists, jewelry makers and more. "We also have a guy who does really cool tie dye," Charley noted.
Along with artisans, the festival will feature food trucks, including Rogue Chef, as well as make-and-take children's activities. Matt Wenger will perform American folk music outside in front of the store. Inside Trellis, artisans will be featured as well, along with a gallery space showcasing the work of local artist Steve Koons.
Charley has been running Trellis Marketplace with her business partner, Michelle Rehkugler, since 2018. She inherited the business from her mother, Laura Dobson Montgomery, who passed away from breast cancer. Although Charley, who is an artist specializing in watercolor and polymer clay, had helped her mom from time to time, she wasn't expecting to take over the business. "We had one conversation about the future of this place, and she said, 'If things don't get better, what's going to happen?' and I told her, 'I've got it,'" Charley recalled. Despite her lack of business experience, she dove headfirst into the shop and has relied on the support of mentors including Susan Zeager, who owns Whippoorwill boutique in Elizabethtown and has a gift shop in the lower level of Trellis Marketplace.
"I tell everyone I am growing with this business," Charley said. "I'm learning as I go, but there is nothing else I would rather be doing."
Charley keeps a framed picture of her mother in her store, and for the Harvest Festival, she plans to set up a tribute area by the musician. "I really want to honor my mom on that day, and what better way to do that than with good music?" she stated.
She encourages people to come to the festival and then to make a day of it in town. "This is a very walkable town," she noted. "Come to the festival, support people who have been bold enough to strike out on their own with their own business, and then go visit the other businesses in Elizabethtown."
Parking will be available for the Harvest Festival in a lot on the side of Trellis Marketplace, as well as in part of the church parking lot. For more information on the Harvest Festival, search for "Trellis Marketplace" on Facebook.
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