Lucky Star Market, a marketplace in Ames for Midwestern artists that opens sporadically throughout the year, will return this weekend. Prairie Moon Winery at 3801 W. 190th St. in Ames will host the event from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. April 26.

“We felt there was a good response [toward our last market] and it was something that the Ames community was open to and would welcome back, so we decided to hold a spring market,” said Jodi Bergan Bennett, Lucky Star Market’s marketing director.

Bennett said that about 3,000 people attended the market’s last opening Dec. 7.

Bennett’s idea to have a marketplace in Ames that offers art from local artists stems from the market her younger sister, Amy Yetman, created in Denver, Colo. Yetman’s market, the Horseshoe Craft and Flea Market, is one of the most critically-acclaimed open-air seasonal markets in Colorado.

“After watching the success of [my sister’s market] and the inspiring, community-building event it became, I thought about how neat it would be to have something like that in Ames,” Bennett said.

To have a booth at the Lucky Star Market, vendors applied on the market’s website and Bennett and her husband, Darryl, decided which vendors could participate in the event.

“We don’t want to have a lot of duplication. We want everything to be unique. We want to keep it fresh and exciting.” Bennett said. “We had an overwhelming [number] of applicants. We had to turn people away.”

Vendors at this weekend’s market will sell a variety of different items including furniture, home decorations, jewelry, clothing and vintage items.

Bennett said that there are many Iowa State students involved with this weekend’s market as interns and volunteers. Kalli LeVasseur, senior in advertising, will be selling paint at the market, like she did at last winter’s market, and will be the only current ISU student that is a vendor.

“I cannot wait. I’m very excited,” LeVasseur said about returning as a Lucky Star Market vendor. “Jodi is very well-organized so I know it’s going to be another great show.”

Bennett said she came up with the name Lucky Star Market because a star is considered a symbol of good fortune and she hopes that people will come out of the event with a “lucky find.”

Bennett said that there will be something for everyone at this weekend’s market and hopes that people will be excited to discover items that will only be available at this event and are not in big chain retail stores.

Free refreshments will be provided by Prairie Moon Winery and Valentino’s, and there will be giveaways and musicians performing live music throughout the day. Attendees are also encouraged to bring non-perishable foods or small cash donations for Food at First.