Vintage and antique lovers, get ready to shop till you drop, the annual Junk Jam is happening in Brookings. The one-day event offers a variety of different items for sale, giving everyone the opportunity to find something they are interested in.
“Junk Jam is a great way to form connections and network with customers and other vendors,” said Sarah Dorn, owner of local handmade jewelry store, Mama Peacock. It is the second year the business has attended.
There are 42 vendors coming from all over the upper Midwest to sell a variety of items including: handmade jewelry and accessories, handmade and repurposed furniture, yard decor, graphic tees, hand-painted signs and vintage, rustic and industrial goods.
Vendors are not the only attraction at Junk Jam, there is also live music, a petting zoo and food vendors at the event. This year there will be three food vendors.
“We have Harry’s Yellow Submarine bringing smoked meats, burgers, hot dogs, breakfast burritos and traditional food truck fare,” said Noelle Morford, one of Junk Jam’s organizers.
Dakota Snow will serve Stensland ice cream, gourmet snow cones and mini donuts. Sweet Kettle Madness will also be there to sell kettle corn.
For additional entertainment, performers will provide music during Junk Jam. There will be everything from The Oak Lake String Band to a group of five SDSU professors performing bluegrass music.
Freshman journalism major Mckenna Mathiesen attended Junk Jam last year.
“I have always been a lover of craft shows. Junk Jam is by far my favorite that I have ever been to,” she said. “The variety of vendors really makes the event great. I am looking forward to going this year.”
The event helps local small businesses like Dorn’s because of its size and proximity to the business owners. It is also a great collaborative event between the vendors.
Morford said most of the vendors are not in direct competition with each other, but Junk Jam allows them to create a friendly network to grow a community of makers.
The magnitude of the event requires a lot of prep work and takes all year to plan, Morford said.
“We really spend all year planning Junk Jam,” Morford said. “We’re slowly building and collecting fun pieces for our booth and to decorate the venue.”
Leading up to Junk Jam, Morford constantly creates new and unique displays and pieces to add to the event.
The first 50 early bird customers who attend from 9 to 10 a.m. will receive a free “swag bag.” The bag includes treats, coupons and items from a variety of different vendors at the show.
Junk Jam 2018 will be held 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday, April 28 at the Swiftel Center Holding Barn in Brookings. General admission is $5. However, early bird admission is $15 which includes a free “swag bag” and first pick at items at the event.
