Farmer’s Market, car show move to new locations this season

Gladys and Juan Garcia look at the vehicles, a 1937 Chevrolet pickup and a 1977 Oldsmobile Cutlass, owned by the MacOwan family. Photo by W.C. Madden/News & Review

Over the last decade, the Tuesday night car show and Farmer’s Market in Monticello have moved around several times. For the last few years, the Farmer’s Market has been in the west bay of the old fire station in the City Hall. The car show was located on North Illinois Street last year.

Before the pandemic, the Farmer’s

Market was in Constitution Plaza, and the Tuesday Night Cruise In was on West Broadway. The car show was moved when construction occurred, and it went to the Sportsman Inn for a couple of years.

This year the Cruise In is back where it started on West Broadway and the Farmer’s Market is now located on North Main Street in Andrea Roller Photography and Events downtown.

Ken Prieboy, who leads the car show, wanted the show to be on North Main Street this year so it would be close to the Farmer’s Market, but when he went before the city council, he was turned down and had to settle for Broadway, nearly a block away. “I love being downtown,” he said. However, being downtown has its drawbacks because no restaurants are open on Tuesday evenings.

Andy Hins rides a remote-control vehicle of the Fearsome Gears, the Twin Lakes High School Robotics Club. Photos by W.C. Madden/News & Review

Prieboy would also like a closer restroom for his participants, who must walk a block to the Farmer’s Market for that convenience.

About 15 cars showed up at the last car show on June 18 because it was hot and muggy. Plus, the Famous Franks wagon wasn’t there serving food. Prieboy is trying to get a food vendor there on Tuesday nights. He wouldn’t mind if anyone or any group would like to come there on Tuesday night and provide food for his participants. “I’d like to see people with arts and crafts sell their wares here,” he said. The Knights of Columbus did some cooking in the past, but they no longer have the volunteers to perform the task.

Of the 15 cars that showed up on June 18, two belonged to the MacOwan family. Barb has a 1977 Oldsmobile Cutlass, while her husband has a 1937 Chevrolet pickup truck. “I built it from the ground up,” he said. He found the truck on a farm in Wisconsin. The cab was in the truck’s bed, and the engine and transmission were missing. However, the owner had the original owner’s manual and sent it to him. The retired truck driver from Brim Concrete and his wife now go to car shows all over the place. “It’s been fun.”

Grant Fischer of Lafayette holds the trophy and prize he won for the Wing Eating Contest.

The Farmer’s Market has been fun for the children as the POP Club is continuing again this year as usual. The club is for children to enjoy the market and gives them something to do while their parents shop. The club is sponsored by the Monticello Parks Department and the Monticello- Union Township Library.

Besides the POP Club, several other vendors sell their wares at the market. A new addition this year is Zelda’s Cookies. DeEtta Dimmitt began the business of making dog treats recently and sells them to dog lovers.

The White County 4-H Fair is next month and Molly Childers from Purdue Extension in Reynolds came with instructions on how to grow pumpkins. You can plant them now and they will be ready by October.

DeEtta Dimmitt explains her all-natural doggie treats to a lady at the Zelda’s Cookies stand at the Farmer’s Market. DeEtta’s mother, Paula Leutzinger, reads a book. Photos by W.C. Madden/ News & Review

A couple of vendors had baked goods at the market. The Farm Stand on Indiana 39 was there selling bread, coffee and lotions. Rebecca Hamm sold a variety of baked goods, such as scones and bread, and gave freeze-dried blueberries to children from the POP Club.

Harvest of the Fields was there with some jellies, flowers and some vegetables. The Brookston farm will soon have more farm products as they become available. Also, with farm products was Tracy Musall-Davidson. Besides some products from Musall’s, she provided some produce from Slot Farm. She also had goat milk soap and farm-fresh eggs.

Other vendors included Girl Scout Toop 1285, selling cookies; Eric Clawson selling honey and syrup; Nature’s Essence Candle Company selling homemade soy candles; and the WIC Program with information for those eligible for the program and farming information.

The Farmer’s Market and car shows will be operating from 5-7 p.m. until Labor Day. If you want to sell something at the market, see Musall-Davidson.

Ken Prieboy stands by his 1963 Crown Imperial. Prieboy is organizing the Tuesday night car show in Monticello.

Contestants circle the sidewalk at Constitution Plaza during the Cash Walk