Everything from homemade licorice to children’s books and much, much more was on display for the public to come through, try out and purchase — and according to those who set up the event, the turnout was well worth the investment in hosting it. This is the second annual Valentine’s Day-themed craft show from ABEvents, the product of co-owners Ashley Anderson and Christina Best.

Anderson said the duo runs seven craft shows per year, and a turnout like the one they had on Saturday is a big motivator for why they’ve grown their business.

“We started out with only a couple a year, and now we’re doing seven,” Anderson said. “To me, at least, I think it means a lot. It’s local buying. We have a lot of people from the Marshalltown area. It’s a lot better to me than going to Wal-Mart or going somewhere like that. You can get almost everything you need just from these little local businesses.”

Buying local is important to Anderson and Best, as is getting a variety of items at the shows so that there can be plenty of options for consumers.

T-R PHOTO BY NOAH ROHLFING - Jody Nolte of Sweet Stuff, based in Boone, stands with her vendor booth at the 2nd Annual Love Is In The Air Vendor and Craft Show at the Veterans Memorial Coliseum in Marshalltown.

Anderson and Best ran one of the stands at the show themselves. Pink Zebra is a fragrance business that also sells pots and hand sanitizers, and as consultants, they have sold the products at many of their events.

Another of the vendors set up was Carrie Cavanaugh, an affiliate of Barefoot Books. Barefoot creates inclusive and unique children’s books that Cavanaugh said she didn’t see much in local stores before she became an affiliate. She’s come to multiple vendor shows at Marshalltown and said she feels pride in being able to provide options for the community.

“I thought they were really beautiful and just books that have really beautiful messages,” Cavanaugh said. “One of my favorite things about selling the books is seeing people’s reaction to them, because they’re very bright and colorful, and I get a lot of comments about that. They like the message that Barefoot brings.”

Vendors and small businesses from around the state, not just Marshalltown, manned the stands on Saturday. Sweet Stuff Baked Goods was represented by Jody Nolte and is based in Boone, while Holli Frees of Mystic Pine Acres in Winterset was at the show to offer up homemade goat milk soap, bath bombs and candles, among other items.

The next vendor show put on by ABEvents is scheduled for Apr. 2 — and Anderson and Best are hoping to continue the momentum Saturday provided.

T-R PHOTO BY NOAH ROHLFING - Paul Arnaud, a dealer for The Licorice Guy, stands with his booth at the 2nd Annual Love Is In The Air Vendor and Craft Show at the Veterans Memorial Coliseum in Marshalltown.

“People are starting to get to know some of these regular vendors, and I think it’s really great,” Anderson said. “Hopefully we’ll have perfect weather and be able to have our attendance even better.”

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Contact Noah Rohlfing at 641-753-6611 or nrohlfing@timesrepublican.com.

T-R PHOTO BY NOAH ROHLFING - (From left to right) Ashley Anderson, Ireland Hootman and Christina Best stand with the Pink Zebra booth at the 2nd Annual Love Is In The Air Vendor and Craft Show at the Veterans Memorial Coliseum in Marshalltown on Saturday. Anderson and Best run ABEvents, which put together this craft show and plans to run seven total in 2022.