GOSHEN COUNTY – “Yee Haw!” – defined as an expression of enthusiasm or exuberance, typically associated with cowboys or rural inhabitants, according to the dictionary. Enthusiastic and exuberant both accurately describe the buzz surrounding this year’s Yee Haw Daze – a fall market designed with “rural inhabitants” in mind.
For the third straight year, the Goshen County Fairgrounds will feature vintage and rustic refurbished furniture, quality jewelry, home-based businesses and crafters of all kinds.
Originally founded by Lori Schafer, friends Celsie Sussex and Becca Cox took over the event for 2017.
“We were approached to run it by Lori Schafer,” Sussex said. “New this year, we’re doing a Sip ‘n Paint on Friday night with Table Mountain Vineyards … we’re also going to have a DIY (do it yourself) chalk-painting tutorial, sponsored by Wagner’s Floral. (Participants) can win a starter kit, with chalk paint and brushes – the paint will also be available to buy.”
The Sip ‘n Paint event begins at 6 p.m. Friday in the Brand Room at the Rendezvous Center and features a black crow perched atop a pumpkin. The DIY chalk paint tutorial is Friday at 4 p.m. and Saturday at 9 a.m. in the Ag Hall.
“I’m really excited – we have a lot of good vendors,” Sussex added. “Pure Dixie (by Dixie Berger) will have leather belts and purses, Lori Schafer has a lot of good stuff coming from Memories Antiques – there’s just a good variety of home-based businesses, crafters, and awesome, new vendors who have not been there in the past.”
Products available will range from custom photo albums and crafts, to beauty and health products, custom metal and leatherwork, to baby items and home décor.
“We’ve spent lots and lots of hours advertising, getting vendors together and trying to coordinate many, many people,” Sussex said. “We’ve been working on it for six months.
The Ag Hall and 4-H Building – both are full … we’re so full of vendors, we’ve had to turn people away.”
Previously, Yee Haw Daze was largely a craft fair. When Cox and Sussex took over, however, they decided to shape the event into a marketplace.
“It’s kind of a facelift, a theme change – it’s more of a fall market theme rather than a craft event,” Sussex said. “We were inspired by a trip to a vintage market in Colorado.”
The third annual, new and improved Yee Haw Daze runs this Friday, Oct. 6 from 4 to 8 p.m. and Saturday, Oct. 7 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. For more information or details about individual vendors or events, follow the Yee Haw Daze Facebook page.
“We invite the public to come down and support all local vendors, as well as people who have traveled in,” Sussex said. “People are getting excited – it’s a fun deal.”
