PALMER, Alaska - A popular downtown Palmer vendor market is set to return Friday after taking an unexpected two-week break to address traffic concerns.market after a vehicle ran over traffic cones that were marking the road closure. The incident was reported to police, but further attempts by chamber staff to direct traffic led to an additional altercation that inevitably led to the chamber’s decision to pause the popular market until additional staff and volunteers could be put in place.
As someone who got their start at the Friday Fling, co-owner of Cold Moon Collective — an Alaskan and women-owned upcycled vintage boutique with a storefront just north of Bogard Street, off the Glenn Highway — Aurora Hand says she felt compelled to offer a place for these displaced vendors to go. Around 18 vendors assembled through the lawn adjacent to — and in front of — Cold Moon Collective’s store, which is a converted colony house. Hand didn’t charge the vendors anything to set up their booths, and even incurred costs to rent restroom facilities.Hand said she understands firsthand how difficult it can be to make ends meet as a small business that relies on markets for income, and wanted to offer a solution to the last-minute shutdown of Friday Fling.
Hand and her business partner moved Cold Moon Collective to its current location in May of last year, and while they still participate in vendor market opportunities, such as the Vintage Market and the Alaska State Fair, they no longer participate in Friday Flings.“They all really enjoyed, just the vibe that we have here,” Hand said.