For the second year, the Newton Farmers’ Market will have a party for the final market of the season.
Newton Fall Fest is sponsored by Newton Main Street and Jasper County Farm Bureau and will feature vendors, kid’s activities, music and more from 4:30 to 8 p.m. Tuesday in downtown Newton.
“It will be a great finale to this year’s Farmers’ Market and we are hoping community members come out and enjoy the activities, music and have a good time,” Newton Main Street Executive Director Graham Sullivan said.
The final farmers’ market will kick things off with the Hawkeye Pedal Pull contest starting at 5 p.m. Registration for the contest will begin at 4:30 and will be located on North Second Avenue.
There is no cost to enter and trophies and prizes will be handed out for each age group ranging from 4 to 11 years old. For additional information about Hawkeye Pedal Pull, visit hawkeyepedalpull.com.
Community members are invited to bring a lawn chair or blanket and enjoy free, live music by Slipstream, which also begins at 4:30 p.m. The Des Moines-based band will entertain with a mix of classic 70s and 80s rock and pop with occasional surprises thrown in that will get everyone out of their seats, having fun and dancing.
Face painting, balloon animals and activities by the ISU Extension, Newton FFA, Newton Library, Iowa Public Television, Iowa Ag Literacy Foundation and Newton Fire Department will also take place throughout the evening.
This is the second year of the return of the farmers’ market to downtown. It was previously located in the parking lot at the Centre for Arts and Artists.
“It appeared to be a pretty good farmers market. There were a lot of hot days but I think everyone was pretty pleased with all of the customers,” Doug Whitmore of Riverbottom Farms said.
Kerry Whitmore agreed, expressing shock at the amount of interest they received in Newton.
“It is our first year here and we were quite impressed with the turn out,” Kerry Whitmore said.
Mike Williams, who sells apples toward the end of the farmers’ market season, has also been successful this year.
“This is our third week because we sell apples but so far it has been reasonably good,” Williams said. “We’ve always done good in Newton, we love the Newton people.”
For more information about the event, visit www.newtonmainstreet.com or Jasper County Iowa Farm Bureau on Facebook. You may also contact Trish Hafkey at the Newton Farm Bureau office 641-792-6253 or Jasper.County@ifbf.org
Contact Jamee A. Pierson at 641-792-3121 ext. 6534 or jpierson@newtondailynews.com