For Gracie Goodlett, a freshman horticulture major at Western, plants are her passion. 

“I just chose the plant path, and it makes me happy seeing other people happy with plants,” Goodlett said. 

In her booth, she sold a large variety of plants, flowers and succulents, as well as some crocheted stuffed animals made by one of her friends, bookmarks and claw clips.

Though rain poured down on Fountain Square Park, many local business vendors stood strong in their tents, still talking with customers and selling their work. 

In its fifth year, BiG Local Fest aimed to bring together and promote locally owned businesses in Bowling Green. Despite weather interruptions, attendants bought a wide variety of homemade goods from local businesses. 

Although many vendors were unable to make it due to the rain, Leda Berman, the member coordinator for the festival, said the vendors who remained demonstrated commitment and loyalty to promoting what they do to the local community. 

“Everybody knows about Walmart and different big (chains), but a lot of people don’t know about the guy down the street that’s making knives or somebody who makes cookies out of their home,” Berman said. 

Gracie’s Garden 

Some of the succulents and plants Goodlett sold were propagated from her own collection, while others were bought at the Southern Kentucky Floral Exchange. She prepared her floral arrangements and potted plants in her room in Meredith Hall, storing them in her and her friend’s dorms in preparation for BiG Local Fest. 

“I thought succulents would be perfect for college students, they’re small and can fit in dorms easily,” Goodlett said. “I just wanted to share what I love with other people.” 

Goodlett got involved in the festival after hearing about it via Facebook, and although her business is a work in progress, she hopes to develop her own in the future. 

“It’s been interesting balancing college and all of this work,” Goodlett said. “It has definitely been a little bit hard at times, but it’s just it’s been fun. It’s been an experience that I would probably do again.” 

Little Red Barn Goats 

As part of their dairy goat farm, Crystal Smith started offering goat snuggles to visitors after benefiting from it herself. 

“I would go out and lie down on the grass and let all the babies jump all over me for like half an hour, and then I’d get up and be like, my day is perfect,” Smith said. “Whatever was bothering me is gone; it was like goat therapy.” 

For five dollars, festival attendants could sit in a fenced-off area full of Nigerian dwarf goats, petting and hugging them for ten minutes. Smith said people, such as a return customer they encountered while at the festival, come to events just to interact with the goats. 

“She just ran up and gave us a hug,” Smith said. “That’s a huge reward for us to see people’s joy.”

Smith said that the goats are very good at fostering community, since people are set up in a circle so everyone is able to face and interact with each other. 

“It brings people out of the speed of life, back to nature, down to our roots,” Smith said. “It allows people to just forget everything, just be quiet (and) connect with animals.”

Oh Sweetie! 

Christy Howard, owner and chef of Oh Sweetie!, said the idea for her business stemmed from her grandmother, who asserted that meals should be followed by a dessert. 

“We always had something sweet after every meal,” Howard said. “Therefore, my sweet tooth is huge, and I pushed that upon my children.” 

After finding “the best” homemade chocolate chip cookie recipe with her son, she was encouraged by those around her trying her cookies to start Oh Sweetie! The business’s namesake was also inspired by a running joke with her children, derived from what she would say when they fell when they were younger. 

Howard sells over 22 different types of homemade cookies, including stuffed cookies and seasonal flavors like her coconut lime and strawberries and cream. Although she’s occasionally catered events, the BiG Local Fest was her first time selling her cookies in person. 

After running out of multiple flavors, Howard said that she hopes to take away not just what cookies are the best sellers, but also learn about other businesses and how they can support each other.

“It was nice for it to just be local people,” Howard said. “Most people are willing to support local, and hopefully the cookies are enough to keep them coming back for more.”