The first ever Kansas Holiday Market took place Saturday at the Flint Hills Discovery Center.
More than two dozen vendors featuring Kansas-made goods set up booths, some inside the Discovery Center, others out on the sidewalk, to greet customers who braved the snow. Robin Schneider, a market shopper from Manhattan, says it was a great event to attend.
“Of course we always want to support our local shops in Manhattan, but while we were stationed in Germany we always got to experience the outdoor markets and with the weather today and the little shops, we thought we’d come out, explore, and see what we could find and support some local businesses,” she said.
Schneider says she used to frequent outdoor markets when stationed in Germany.
Flint Hills Discovery Center Assistant Director Stephen Bridenstine said he was pleased with the turnout for the inaugural market.
“With the snowfall we weren’t really sure what to expect but it’s been very consistent. Our vendors, we couldn’t thank them enough for coming and braving the snow themselves,” he said.
The market was held in recognition of Small Business Saturday, and shoppers who made purchases from the on-site vendors received discounted admission to the Discovery Center.
