By Michael Stoll
mike.stoll@austindailyherald.com

It was a windy day with a chill in the air, but that didn’t stop locals from attending the Nederland Fall Market Day on Saturday.

Lining Boston Avenue from 13th Street to Twin City Highway were local vendors selling their wares to interested customers.

“We’re just out exploring and seeing what Nederland has to offer,” said Nederland resident Melissa Johnson. “This is our first time.”

Some of the vendors were first timers as well, such as Hillary Haynes, who owns web-based Avenue Elle Boutiques (www.shopavenueelle.com) out of Orange. She was at the market selling clothing with her friend Amity Tarbutton.

“I have young contemporary and junior clothing and accessories,” Haynes said. The boutique also has pages on Facebook, Instagram and Snap Chat.

Other vendors were making a return to the Nederland Fall Market Day, like Debbie Gibens of Hamshire.

“This is my second fall festival, but I do the spring festivals also,” she said. “I have homemade jams and jellies. When possible, I try to use resources that are grown in this area. Some of them I grow, some of them I pick from neighbors. I have homegrown bread and butter pickles and spicy Cajun pickles, which are favorites. I have pepper jellies with different heat levels, so I can cater to those who can’t take the high heat. The one that sells the best is the Habanero Gold, with apricot and red onion.”

But not all of the vendors were there to make a profit. 12 year-old Mackenzie Howell of Nederland was there to raise money for Haiti.

“We’re selling books, headbands and t-shirts,” she said. “These two books are books I’ve actually written and the headbands I’ve sewn. The shirts are what we wear when we go on mission trips. The books are about the village we serve in when we go to Haiti.”

Assisting her was her younger brother, 5 year-old Andrew Howell.

“I’m helping Sissy sell books,” he said.