Merritt Schoonover talks about her homemade baked goods at A Very Merry Maker’s Market Sunday afternoon at the Parkersburg High School Field House. (Photo by Michelle Dillon)

PARKERSBURG — A large crowd of people came to Parkersburg High School Sunday for the chance to peruse handmade goods from local businesses.

The third A Very Merry Marker’s Market was held at the Parkersburg High School Field House Sunday, and according to Parkersburg business owner and event organizer Alisha Riddle, about 1,500 people had showed up to the market as of about 2 p.m. Sunday.

She said she has also held a market event in June.

About 100 small business owners filled two floors of the field house Sunday, according to Riddle.

For sale were handmade items that included baked goods, jewelry, woodcarvings, wool clothing, pottery and more, she said.

A crowd of people looks at handmade items for sale at A Very Merry Maker’s Market Sunday in the Parkersburg High School Field House. (Photo by Michelle Dillon)

“I love that we have stuff for kids to do too,” Riddle said.

The market had ornaments for children to decorate and they could participate in a reindeer hunt with prizes.

Riddle said she started the market because she was “trying to bring something nice to the community.” She is grateful for the community response to the event.

She said she had three business owners who sold out by 12:15 p.m.

Merritt Schoonover was among the vendors at the market. She sells homemade baked goods, like whoopie pies and pepperoni rolls.

Handmade wood ornaments, pictured, were one of the many items for sale at A Very Merry Maker’s Market Sunday at Parkersburg High School. About 1,500 shoppers attended, according to Parkersburg business owner Alisha Riddle, who planned the event. (Photo by Michelle Dillon)

She said she started participating in the market the first year it started, “mostly because it’s local.”

She said the market features local makers and with her business being located in the area the market “is a nice way to promote my business.”

She said she was really busy Sunday during the market and there was “good traffic flow.”

Patricia Flora is another business owner who was at the market. She sells Lilla Rose brand hair accessories.

Parkersburg resident Lisa Ball was at Flora’s booth learning how to use the accessories for various hairstyles.

Patricia Flor, left, puts a Lilla Rose brand hair accessory, which she sells, in Lisa Ball’s hair, right, during the A Very Merry Maker’s Market Sunday afternoon at Parkersburg High School. (Photo by Michelle Dillon)

Ball said it was her first time coming to the market and she brought her mother.

She bought earrings, a custom photo mug and other items, according to Ball.

“I think it was really nice,” she said about the market, and it had a “nice selection of vendors.”

More information about the market can be found on the event’s Facebook page.

Michelle Dillon can be reached at mdillon@newsandsentinel.com

About 100 businesses sold their items at A Very Merry Maker’s Market Sunday afternoon at Parkersburg High School and the items on sale included jewelry, pictures, handmade ornaments, clothing and baked goods, among others. (Photo by Michelle Dillon)