CONRAD — Conrad Chamber-Main Street has been designated an Accredited Main Street America program for meeting rigorous performance standards. Its executive director Heather Wilson noted this achievement was driven by four points: leadership development, infrastructure improvements, community fundraising success and expanding local events. Its newest event, Family Market Night, will debut June 5 and will take place the first and third Thursday of the month, June through September, in downtown Conrad.

The markets will run from 4 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. and feature fresh produce, vendors and crafts, food trucks, a car show, and many Main Street shops staying open late. Confirmed June 5 vendors include: Outside Scoop Ankeny, Bub & Siss Yum Yums, Renewal by Andersen, Clare’s Tenderloins, Bliss Cupcakes, Magnolia+Moss Market, ToyForge 3D, Russell’s Freeze-Dried Candies and Terry’s Scroll Saw Art.

“I came up with the idea, because it’s something that the town has wanted,” Wilson said. “I just kind of base it off of feedback, and then I had some help from Niki Kitzman, thinking how should we start this? Where should we go? And we thought, how great would it be to do on Thursday nights, because there’s a very large following that comes to town for the Concerts Under the Oaks at Oakview (Nursing Home).”

The concerts, held Thursdays in June, July and August, start at 6:30 p.m. with the June 5 one featuring the music of the Vinyl Frontier Band (who will also perform at the July 3 and August 7 concerts). Attendees are asked to bring their own lawn chairs. In case of cancelation due to inclement weather, Oakview will post updates on its Facebook page and put a sign in its front window. Free will donations put in its wishing well will help cover costs of entertainment.

Guests can sit with residents in front of the stage or sit in the grassy area behind the sidewalk. Popcorn and lemonade will be for sale.

Wilson added that concertgoers would appreciate the opportunity to also shop and dine.

“The word of the year is collaboration here in Conrad. We are collaborating, bringing them all together on one night. Life is busy, so we’re just trying to do it when there are more people in town,” she said. “There is a great following with the different bands that’ll be at the nursing home.”

It is not too late to sign up to be a vendor. Businesses that are members of the Conrad Chamber-Main Street vend for free, while non-members will be charged $10 per market event.

“As part of our four point approach with Main Street America, we’re trying to keep Main Street businesses open for a couple hours extra every month,” Wilson noted. “They’re going to stay open later during that market, so that’ll be really cool. You can go shop Main Street as well.”

She added that there are a lot of people in the area that collect vintage cars and modern day classics.

“We’re throwing in a car show — we’re throwing everything in this market and seeing what sticks during our inaugural year,” she said. “My husband Julian hosts the Black Dirt Days car show, so we’ll bring quite a few of our classics down as well. It’s just going to look neat. It’s not just going to be a market in a vacant lot. We’re trying to upscale it a little bit more with the entrance and using the classic cars as a barrier between — just giving it that more esthetically pleasing look.”

Wilson said she’s pleased new businesses have opened in Conrad and events are on the calendar.

“A lot of main streets in Iowa, they’re operating at 60, 70% occupancy, where luckily we have every building owned, filled, and there are ideas in the next year with a couple of the two that aren’t running businesses in it,” she said. “It’s exciting times in Conrad…A lot of people don’t know a lot about what Main Street America can offer communities. It is such a great program, especially in preservation of the districts in the areas, and bringing in people to town to help those smaller businesses. I started in July last year, and I’ve learned so much. It’s just incredible. They’re always forward focused, looking 30 years, 100 years down the road.”

Conrad Chamber-Main Street launched a door replacement program for exterior doors. A highlight of its fundraising campaign is money to build brand-new pickleball courts. Main Street America is a nonprofit subsidiary of the National Trust for Historic Preservation. For more information, visit mainstreet.org.