Another reason to celebrate on Maple Street

If Highway 25 north of Creston is nicknamed Kessler curve because of the curve in the road, Maple Street in town should be nicknamed Celebrate Street.

Those behind the popular and growing Market on Maple will be back Saturday, Oct. 15 for Fiesta on Maple.

The event will have a Hispanic heritage flavor, literally and figuratively.

“We wondered what more we could do,” said Creston Mayor Gabe Carroll who told of the idea to Creston Rotary during its meeting Monday at A&G restaurant. Carroll said the Market on Maple concept, the outdoor shopping event, was taken from economic development meeting ideas how towns can utilize a certain area of their town and show their potential.

Fiesta on Maple event, scheduled from 10 a.m to 3 p.m., is expected to have a variety of Mexican food available and vendors will be given opportunity to sell. Carroll said the popularity of the Market on Maple, which has been held this year and in 2021, gave organizers of that event a confident boost to try the concept again but with something specific.

“I am originally from Texas and the Hispanic community is very integrated. There’s been a lot more people from that background moving to Iowa. We thought this would be a great opportunity to bring everything together, learn more about the culture, celebrate. All together,” said Ashley Downing, one of the event’s organizers.

Carroll said Fiesta on Maple will also celebrate the area’s Hispanic cultures in Lenox and Osceola.

Downing said the committee has contacted people who have experience in Honduras and Creston’s Una Mas Mexican restaurant has also offered help. Downing said Community First Bank has experience across the state organizing similar events.

“They have been amazing to point us in the right direction,” Downing said.

Downing said Fiesta on Maple will have a bounce house and face painting for the children, mechanical bull and a soccer challenge.

“We will have a few different vendors, food trucks and live music,” she said. “Our goal is to make it an annual event. We hope people come and have a good time.”

Farm to Fork, the formal dinner held outside over Labor Day weekend, is another event that brings attention and something new to the streets of Uptown Creston.

The second annual Market on Maple was held in May with patrons shopping at a wide variety of vendor booths and local businesses.

After last year’s event, the first Market on Maple held in April 2021, surveys were sent to get feedback from the vendors. “The feedback was overall positive,” said Mindy Stalker, interim executive director for the Union County Development Association (UCDA).