Local Vendors Begin Monthly “Mingle on the Square”
By LYDIA BERGLAR
News Editor
This Saturday, April 6th, is the first ever Mingle on the Square – an event put together by a group of local entrepreneurial women. From April through November, locals can look forward to gathering on the first Saturday of each month for food trucks, local vendors, farm fresh goods, kids activities, and perhaps some live music.
The events will begin at 9 a.m. and conclude at 2 p.m. at Veterans Memorial Park (the Trenton town square/gazebo area).
Haley Bearden and Cindy Miles of Sweet Teas originally came up with the idea. They approached Misty Moon (who crochets and sells her pieces under the business name MoonPieces) for help organizing the event, and Moon gladly stepped in. Chelsea Johnson and Makayla Marshall also joined the team.
Moon said, “There are many local vendors, artists, crafters, etc. that travel elsewhere, sometimes out of state, for events, and we thought it would be a great opportunity for Trenton to have a family-friendly, monthly event that brings the community together where these vendors could sell their goods.”
The group originally planned to set up in the Sweet Teas parking lot, but as word got around, interest grew and a larger space was needed. The group was approved to use Veterans Memorial Park, meaning more vendors could join and food trucks could be added.
Moon said, “Other towns and cities around us have monthly or weekly events, like Collinsville Trade Day or the Chattanooga Market, and we thought it would be great to have something local that would support our community. The event is free for patrons as well as for vendors (no sign up fees).”
The group doesn’t yet have a set limit for vendors, but the organizers are trying to offer a variety of goods and will plan according to space. Moon explained, “We’re aiming for one to two of the same type or products, three max depending on the product. We also need more food trucks for various months.”
Interested vendors can email mingleonthesquare@outlook.com.
Shoppers should note that some vendors might not be set up to take cards; consider having cash on hand.
The group is also in search of bands and musicians. Moon explained, “Ideally, we would like three musicians each Saturday to play an hour-long set. This is not a paid performance, but it will offer exposure for the bands/musicians willing to donate their time.”
Currently, there is no back-up plan for inclement weather. Moon explained, “The park is already spoken for the second Saturdays of the months we’ve planned, so we cannot push it back a week. We are open to suggestions if anyone is willing to provide an indoor space if needed.”
For weather cancellations, updates, and a list of vendors at each upcoming event, visit the Facebook page, “Trenton’s Monthly Mingle on the Square.”
