Twin City Days Packs Main Street with Local Vendors, Classic Cars, and Community Spirit

Four vendors share the stories behind their products and why community events like Twin City Days continue to matter.

By The Jefferson Review Staff

Festus Main Street was packed with visitors during this year’s Twin City Days celebration as families, friends, and neighbors gathered to shop, visit, and enjoy one of the area’s largest community traditions.

The weather was beautiful, though temperatures leaned a little toward the hot side. That did little to slow the steady flow of people moving between vendor booths along Main Street.

Across the event on the Crystal City side, a car show gave visitors another reason to explore. Rows of beautifully maintained vehicles attracted automobile enthusiasts, families, and curious spectators throughout the day.

The scene across both cities was positive and upbeat. Many visitors felt that kind of community atmosphere was something Festus needed. With booths lining the street and conversations taking place in nearly every direction, the event created opportunities for residents to discover local businesses, learn about area organizations, and reconnect with familiar faces.

The Farrier’s Wife Blacksmith Shop

Among the many vendors on Main Street were Lisa and Dave Thompson of The Farrier’s Wife Blacksmith Shop.

The couple operates a blacksmith shop near Farmington with a Ste. Genevieve address, creating hand-forged artwork, décor, utensils, jewelry, and other pieces. Twin City Days has become a familiar stop for the business.

“We enjoy Festus quite a bit,” Lisa Thompson said. “We’ve come up here a number of times, and everybody said, ‘You need to come up and visit Twin City Days and be a part of that.’”

This year marked the couple’s third time participating in the event. For Thompson, the greatest part of returning is the people.

To see more of the couple’s hand-forged work, visit The Farrier’s Wife Blacksmith Shop online.

Show Me Woodturners

The crowd also gave local organizations an opportunity to introduce people to hobbies they may have previously encountered only online.

Steve Buxton, a former president of Show Me Woodturners, shared information about the Festus-based club, which has been bringing area woodturners together since 2005.

The club has approximately 60 members and meets on the second Thursday of each month at the Festus Band Building behind the police station. Guests are welcome, and meetings typically include club updates followed by a demonstration from a member.

Four times each year, the club holds turning days for people interested in learning the craft. Participants receive hands-on instruction while completing a small project, such as a ball or lantern.

More information about club meetings and demonstrations is available through the Show Me Woodturners Facebook page.

The Olive Branch Co.

For Marianne Graves, owner of The Olive Branch Co., this year was her first time participating as a Twin City Days vendor.

Graves regularly sells her natural skincare products at the Festus Farmers Market. When she learned about the opportunity to participate in Twin City Days, joining the event felt like a natural fit.

The Olive Branch Co. began with a need inside Graves’ own family. Her daughter struggled with seasonal eczema, leading Graves to begin making whipped tallow as an alternative skincare product. After seeing an improvement, she began developing additional items for her family.

“It just kind of spiraled from there,” Graves said. “Everything I make has come from a need for something non-toxic for my family.”

Her product line now includes soaps, magnesium spray, and other skincare items. Graves said the process of making soap also became a calming creative outlet for her.

When asked to choose a favorite soap scent, she could not settle on only one.

“It changes seasonally,” Graves said. “Ocean Breeze and Perfect Man. I love the Perfect Man. It smells so good.”

Outside of community events and the Festus Farmers Market, Olive Branch products can also be found at The Wandering Bean in Hillsboro and Tree of Life on Festus Main Street. Products are also available through The Olive Branch Co. website.

Sandy Valley Honey Company

Local flavor took on a more literal meaning at the Sandy Valley Honey Company booth.

The Hillsboro-area bee farm brought a selection of local honey products to Main Street. Its connection to the Twin City Area Chamber of Commerce and other local markets has helped the company place its honey in front of customers throughout the area.

When asked what the company enjoys most about Twin City Days, the answer came quickly.

Among the company’s products, one stood out as the item visitors needed to see: hot habanero honey.

Sandy Valley Honey Company products can also be found at several area businesses, including John’s Butcher Shoppee in Festus and Kress Farm Garden Preserve in Hillsboro. Customers can follow Sandy Valley Honey Company on Facebook for current products and additional retail locations.

The four booths represented only a small portion of the vendors filling Main Street. However, their stories reflected much of what Twin City Days offered throughout the weekend: handmade products, local knowledge, family businesses, community organizations, and opportunities for neighbors to meet the people behind the names.

For vendors, the event offered exposure and direct connections with potential customers. For visitors, it offered the chance to discover something new while supporting people who live, work, create, and build their businesses close to home.

Between the packed sidewalks in Festus, the classic cars in Crystal City, and the steady conversations taking place throughout the event, Twin City Days delivered more than a festival. It provided an upbeat reminder of what can happen when the community comes together.

Join thousands of Jefferson County residents already reading The Jefferson Review.

Don’t miss the local government decisions, development updates, and community stories shaping our county every Thursday and Sunday.

Subscribe free to The Jefferson Review