A bright sign announces a street fair, organized by RAIN Catalysts, in Prairie City.

GRANT COUNTY — Zach Denney wants to provide more opportunities for vendors to sell their wares, and this marks the second summer that he has organized street fairs in Grant County.

Denney is with RAIN Catalysts, formerly called Oregon RAIN, which focuses on economic development for the county and supports small businesses and entrepreneurs.

He also helps coach businesses.

“We have a ton of resources and knowledge,” he said.

Street fairs

Denney ramped up the schedule this year with three street fairs each month that rotate between towns in Grant County. The fairs started in April and continue through September (except for the week of the Grant County Fair, which runs Aug. 9-12).

“It gives everybody a place to come together,” he said.

Each fair runs from 3-7 p.m. Here are the locations:

• First Friday: John Day at The Pit Stop in downtown.
• Second Friday: Prairie City in front of the old Texaco
• Third Friday: Canyon City in the park.

Vendors set up an hour before the fair begins. Offerings vary from jewelry to cutting boards to handcrafted items. Food and drink vendors will also be on site.

“If you drive through the town, there’s no way you’ll miss them,” he said.

Participating as a vendor is free — sign up ahead of time, or just show up on the day of the fair.

“I just want to make it grow,” Denney said.

There is one rule: canopies must be weighed down in case the wind picks up.

“We had a canopy storm in 2022,” he said.

Get involved

Interested vendors are encouraged to contact Denney at zach@raincatalysts.org, reach out through Facebook at facebook.com/grantcountyzach, or schedule an appointment with him through calendly.com/grantcountyrain.