Nestled in the parking lot of Rowley’s Red Barn lies the locally owned and operated Wednesday Night Market.
Cars line the small neighborhood behind Rowley’s, and as you walk into the parking lot, live music, the smell of food and friendly people welcome you.
The Wednesday Night Market is a lively event, hosted every week from 5-9 p.m. The market features a myriad of small businesses, all of which provide homemade goods.
The smiling faces of Henry and Summer Altena are first to greet you at their tents, Pops Chips and Airplant Buddies.
The Altena’s started the Wednesday Night Market, inspired by the Festival City Night Market in Cedar City. They said they created it to bring a night market to St. George, especially during the winter months.
Summer Altena said their market brings: “Good times and great vibes; that sums it up in a nutshell. All markets have great things to offer, every single one no matter what it is or who runs it, they all have vendors who are working their butts off.”
The Altenas love to find people they connect with at these markets, and they pick their vendors very carefully to ensure they will be loved by everyone and not just for their products.
“A lot of vendors come to us. We pick and choose very carefully who we have in,” Summer Altena said. “It’s the person behind the table, it’s not always the product. If they’re cool and they really want to be here, then all of a sudden we’re friends for life.”
This was the most important value of the market for Summer Altena, she said this ensured that the market would continue to have good vibes and they would get along with everyone who came in.
“Henry and I bounce around to all the vendors, take videos and laugh with them. It can’t just be anyone who comes in, it has to be the whole package,” she said.
With one food truck, live music and a wide variety of vendors, the Wednesday Night Market has something for everyone.
“When you guys come to the market we want to make sure you have a good experience. There will always be one of something instead of duplicates,” Summer Altena said. “We want it to be a really good experience so people will want to come back.”
The Altena’s first started their Wednesday Night Market last winter, and their first market was very small and then skyrocketed in popularity from there.
“When we first started back in winter, we only started with three [vendors] and then we slowly started meeting more people,” Summer Altena said.
Henry and Summers’s daughter, Trinity Altena, was also at the market doing social media for the food truck Papa’s Got Jerk.
“It was a little stressful at first because it was so new; there’s so much that goes into planning it but they love it so much,” Trinity Altena said.
Some of the vendors included jewelry, hat-making, candles, clothing and food. One vendor, Earthy Ells, owner of Dusty Desert Silver, makes handmade jewelry.
Ells said she had always loved silver smithing; it was her second time at the market and she said she loved every minute.
Kole Saxton, the live musician at the market sang and played guitar. He played classic country and rock, with a mix of cover songs and original music.
“[The Altenas] reached out to me a little while ago. When they asked me to play I was stoked, I want to do it every week. It’s been a blast,” Saxton said.
The Altenas said they rotate their live music every week, so they can support local artists.
Honey Brooking, owner of Honey Elizabeth Co, makes her own herbal-infused candles and skin care. She just opened her business and this was her very first market. The friendly vibes made her feel confident to be there. She said she had a great time and loved meeting new vendors.
“Everyone has been really friendly. When we first got here other vendors helped me and my son put our tent up… and the people who run it are really nice and informative. I thought I would feel uncomfortable, but I actually feel really comfortable,” Brooking said.
The market brings together vendors and customers alike, and even dogs are welcomed. The Altenas said they love the market and enjoy planning it.
“I love it here. My parents started [the market] from scratch and it just gets bigger every time. It’s always a blast,” Trinity Altena said.
The market runs all year long, and the offerings change depending on the season. In the summer they had a dunk tank, and in the winter they had a fire pit.
“Normally, the people who always come are always rad,” Summer Altena said. “I want to have everyone; they’re all sweet, they’re all kind, and they all have such passion for their product like us.”
