EDWARDSVILLE - The Land of Goshen Community Market is an Edwardsville tradition, and this weekend’s event promises special fun with a dog parade and customer appreciation deals.
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From 8 a.m. to 12 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 19, 2026, the market will celebrate Customer Appreciation Day with a $5 voucher for the first 50 customers, special vendor pricing, and the chance to win Goshen Market tote bags. There will also be free mini bagels from 222 Artisan Bakery courtesy of Constitution Bank.
The season’s annual Dog Day was also rescheduled to Sept. 19, so there will be several dog-themed contests, a dog parade led by the Edwardsville Municipal Band, and adoptable pets onsite from the Metro East Humane Society. Sherrie Hickman, one of the market’s organizers, noted the importance of bringing people together at the market and supporting local vendors, businesses and community members.
“That extra bonus of having Customer Appreciation Day and extra puppies at the market is pretty cool,” she said. “It’s just a great, great vibe and a really strong sense of community and supporting local.”
While the weekly Saturday market is always an important day for Hickman and her team, she is especially looking forward to the Sept. 19 market. Dog Day features a dog costume contest and a dog and owner lookalike contest.
It costs $5 to enter the contests, and all proceeds go to the Metro East Humane Society. The shelter will have a few adoptable pets at the market. Attendees can bring pet food and supplies to donate.
The dog parade encourages people to make floats using bicycles, wagons and other wheeled carts. Depending on the heat, the dogs in attendance will walk a lap around City Park with the floats, led by the Edwardsville Municipal Band. Blazer, the Lewis and Clark Community College mascot, will serve as the parade’s grand marshal and the contests’ judge.
Customer Appreciation Day is another Goshen Market tradition. Hickman noted that the market’s vendors and organizers are always thankful for the shoppers, and this is a chance for them to give back.
The Land of Goshen Community Market spotlights local farmers and vendors. All products must be made or grown within 100 miles of Edwardsville. Hickman pointed out that this rule means everything is locally sourced and fresh.
She is proud that the market brings people together and provides a space for farmers and artisans to sell their wares. She encourages people to support these local makers and farmers at the market every weekend.
“The mission of the foundation is to help downtown thrive,” she said. “We bring a lot of visitors downtown on Saturdays. We bring a lot of visitors to the businesses downtown, but also to our vendors, like local farmers. It is all local. It’s all locally grown, locally made, and so we’re supporting small farms and small businesses, artisans making things out of their homes and making money to put food on their table.”
With Customer Appreciation Day and Dog Day planned for this weekend, Hickman hopes to welcome even more community members for a fun experience. For more information about the Land of Goshen Community Market, visit their official Facebook page.
This featured article is sponsored by the Goshen Market. To get your business or organization featured on www.RiverBender.com, contact us at sales@riverbender.com.
