They come bearing food, toys, collectibles, shirts, jewelry and many other knickknacks, they are festival vendors.

Kicking off Ironmaster Days Thursday were musical performances by Chase and Legends. And lining the streets of Ironton were the vendors.

Some have returned from last year, but many are like festival newcomer Joe Lawhorn.

Lawhorn is from Proctorville, so he is not unfamiliar with the area, but said this is his first time at Ironmaster Days.

Lawhorn got the name of his stand, Mr. Blinkey's, from a girl who would call him by the name at every event she saw him at. Lawhorn said he figures she picked out the name because at night he will wear the blinking toys he sells for children.

"I sell a little bit of everything, light-up things for kids and I sell a lot of NASCAR doo-rags," Lawhorn said.

Lawhorn said he has participated in a festival with every vendor at the Ironmaster Days this year.

"You run into a lot of the same people," Lawhorn said.

Including fellow vendors

Beth and Gary Cottrill who Lawhorn has seen so many times he said they set their tents up beside each other.

The Cottrills are not so local though. They come from Charleston, W.Va., and have been going around to different festivals for 25 years selling collectors knives, jewelry and light-up trinkets.

What keeps them in the business is the people.

"You meet a lot of nice people and it just really fun," Beth Cottrill said. "Of course when they're all over we're more than happy to sit at home in the winter."

A new food stand to the scene this year is Rajun-Cajun offering a different type of food, New Orleans style cooking.

"The food is different from what is typical out here," said Margie Wilson, who, along with her husband Garold "Bud" Wilson, runs the stand at different festivals in Ohio, Kentucky and West Virginia.

They serve crawfish, red beans and rice, jambalaya, catfish, shrimp and fries.

"People try the crawfish," Wilson said. "We didn't think they would but they seem to like it."

Veteran Ironmaster Days vendor Rick Morris is back again this year providing the traditional festival foods with lemonade, funnel cake and corn dog stands. As well as the Joy and Phil Montroso with the Hot Rod Cafe and Snowie stands.

Both Morris and the Montrosos have been participating in Ironmaster Days since it began. They were even there when it was a regatta.

"It's a life-long business," said Joy Montroso, who has been in the biz for 37 years.

Whatever the reason, vendors keep returning to festivals such as Ironmaster Days providing people with the traditional and not so traditional, but they all seem to enjoy it.

"I love it. I love dealing with the people," Lawhorn said. "It's one of those things you either love or you hate."