Our First Big Day Out: Curley's Creek at Altoona Day!

Well folks, we did it! This past Saturday, May 17th, Curley's Creek packed up our goat milk goodies and headed out for our very first event as a vendor: the much-anticipated return of Altoona Day, organized by Blayke's Brigade! After a hiatus since 2020, the town was buzzing, and it was a joy to be part of such a vibrant community gathering. Thank you to all the family and friends that came out to support Curley's Creek!

The air was filled with the sounds of live music, the delicious smells of festival food, and the happy chatter of a wonderful crowd. With over 30 vendors showcasing their talents, there was a real sense of local pride and creativity. It was inspiring to see everything from handmade jewelry to folks from LifeSouth offering a chance to donate blood – a truly community-focused day. And for the kids? Let's just say the blow-up slide and that amazing harness trampoline looked like a whole lot of fun!

For us at Curley's Creek, this was a day of firsts, and with firsts always come a few lessons! We quickly learned that an Alabama spring day can bring the heat! ☀️ Next time, fans are definitely on our "must-pack" list – not just for us, but to offer a little cool breeze to anyone stopping by our booth. And speaking of heat, we had a little surprise from our whipped sugar scrubs. As we were packing up, we noticed a couple of them had decided to expand a bit in the sun, leaking despite their seals! It's a good reminder that Mother Nature always has a say, and we're already brainstorming ways to keep them perfectly cool and contained at future outdoor events. We also learned to always be prepared for a bit of wind and maybe a rogue rain shower – thankfully, neither dampened the spirits of Altoona Day!

But beyond the practical lessons, the best part of the day was the connections. We had the pleasure of being next to the lovely folks from 'A Bushel and a Beck,' who were also celebrating their first event with their beautiful handmade novelty jewelry. It was so encouraging to share those "new vendor" jitters and triumphs, and we even discovered we’ll be seeing them at some of the same events down the road! There’s something special about that small business camaraderie.

And the response from everyone who visited our little Curley's Creek spot? It truly warmed our hearts. 💖 It’s one thing to send our products out into the world from our homestead, but it’s another entirely to see someone’s face light up when they smell a particular soap or feel the creaminess of our lotions. We even had one enthusiastic young lady who kept making sweet return trips, asking her mom for just a little more money so she could gather a few more Curley's Creek treasures. Moments like that make all the hard work shine.

It was clear that people truly appreciate the heart and effort that goes into crafting something by hand – whether it's a bottle of our goat milk lotion, a unique pair of earrings, a custom t-shirt, or even an amazing 3D printed Fortnite crown we spotted! That shared appreciation for craftsmanship is what makes these community events so special.

We came away from Altoona Day tired but invigorated, with a notebook full of ideas and some exciting new leads for future events we hadn't even heard of!

So, what's next for Curley's Creek? We're already gearing up for our next adventure! You can find us at the Boaz VFW Fairgrounds in Boaz, AL, on May 30th and 31st. We'll be there supporting a fantastic cause – the Pride of Douglas Band Bazaar's trip to the Pearl Harbor Parade later this year. We’d love to see you there!

Thank you, Altoona, for a wonderful first market experience. We learned, we laughed, and we can't wait to do it all again!

With heartfelt thanks,

The Curley's Creek Family 🐐💖