Dirt Road Salvage to add another event to Cheney's calendar

The quote from famed naturalist John Muir might tell you something about Dirt Road Salvage.

"Of all the paths you take in life, make sure a few of them are dirt," Muir wrote.

Heidi Monter and her neighbor and fellow Dirt Road Salvage founder Lindsay Mathes love the saying and can identify with it since they both live in the country and have had their share of experiences traveling dirt roads. Monter said they also wanted something that embodied the act of reclaiming things, and would go along with the vintage vendors they plan on bringing to the Cheney Rodeo grounds Bi-Mart Arena later this month.

"So that was the beginning of the name," Monter said. "And then it was a lot of brainstorming texts back and forth until we found something we both loved."

Monter and Mathes hope area residents will also love Dirt Road Salvage, a first - and hopefully annual - event that brings communities and neighbors together for a couple of days in late summer. Billed as a "vintage, handmade and country living vendor market," Dirt Road Salvage look to offer attendees the chance to browse local vendor wares, check out vintage cars and tractors, eat and have fun while also filling the arena space that sits vacant much of the year.

"It's just another fun event we want to bring to Cheney," Monter said.

So far 20 vendors have signed up for display booths Aug. 25-26. Those vendors span the range of vintage goods and include Palouse Country Tables and Benches, Now & Forever Woodworking, DM Leather Designs, home and garden items from 1889 Salvage Co. and handmade wire-wrapped jewelry from Cheney's SeeDee Graffiti.

There will be live music both days, along with food, a beer garden for those over age 21 and free parking. Entry is $5 for adults and free for children age 12 and under.

Monter said they are still working on aspects of the event, such as getting enough food vendors to provide attendees a wide variety of eats, but not so many that those vendors who do attend can't make a little profit. She and Mathes are also lining up entries for Saturday's car show - which is going well - and Sunday's vintage tractor display.

Monter added that they are also encouraging people attending from out of town to swing into Cheney to check out the shops and places to eat, as well as places to stay overnight. The pair have been attending Cheney Merchant Association meetings in an attempt to coordinate aspects of the vendor market with the city's business community.

Monter said their budget isn't large for the initial Dirt Road Salvage, but she hopes it will grow as the event grows. The latter is the pair's main goal for their first year, and they hope Dirt Road Salvage will become an annual show for Cheney's event calendar.

Dirt Road Salvage runs 9 a.m. - 5 p.m. on Saturday, Aug. 25, and 10 a.m. - 3 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 26. Information, including registration forms for the car and tractor shows, is available on the market's Facebook page, Dirt Road Salvage.

John McCallum can be reached at jmac@cheneyfreepress.com.