More than 30 vendors were featured at the third year of Pepper Road Fall Fest on Sept. 20 in Lake Barrington.
Presented by the Barrington Area Chamber of Commerce (BACC), the four-hour midday Saturday festival featured an outdoor pop-up marketplace. Rain had subsided, and overcast weather was balmy in the vicinity of the Shops of Pepper Park.
Other stops along Pepper Road at the free event included opportunities to adopt pups (hosted outside of Pepper Park Coffee) from Animal House Shelter of Huntley.
Attendees could also experience Barnfest at the nearby All American Reclaim, featuring reclaimed and vintage home goods.
“Honestly, it’s really all about bringing people into the Lake Barrington area, to realize there are really unique treasures here, shopping treasures,” said BACC President/CEO Suzanne Corr.
“There are some really wonderful, unique boutiques in this area that people have no clue that are here that are great for gift buying, clothes, all kinds of special purchases.
“The Pepper Road area,” Corr added, “you can literally spend an afternoon here.”
There was also the Barrington Countryside Fire District Open House, where families could tour the station, meet local firefighters, and explore fire trucks.
Allison Dreier of Tower Lakes visited the fire department open house, where her daughter, Charlie, 3, went down the large, colorful inflatable slide several times. The Dreier family attended the event with extended family members.
“We just moved back to Tower Lakes two days ago,” said Charlie’s mother, who is of the Barrington High School Class of 2008. Charlie’s grandfather, who lives in Tower Lakes, also attended Barrington High School.
“It’s magic in Tower Lakes, so that’s why I wanted to move back,” Charlie’s mother added.
Jennifer Moran of Lake Zurich spent time walking the pop-up market’s midways to browse where items like honey and handmade artisan crafts were sold.
Trendy Labubu plush toys were featured at several booths. Another vendor sold crafted miniature fairy and mushroom gardens, popular with cottage core fans.
“It’s nice to see the different businesses out here,” Moran said.
Jane Volland of Barrington also visited booths at the pop market and carried a clear bag holding crochet handmade plushie characters, including a football. Her granddaughters, Kira Fransen, 4, and Isla Fransen, 7, a second-grader, also from Barrington, accompanied their grandmother.
Of spending time with her grandchildren, Jane Volland said, “There’s no better joy.”
Karie Angell Luc is a freelancer for Pioneer Press.
