Doug Smith, owner of Unique Twist Balloon Artists, handed out free balloon animals last year at the Woodford County Courthouse for Eureka’s annual Market Day. The popular central Illinois balloon artist will return with his inflatable critters for this year’s Market Day June 17 from 10 a.m. – 2 p.m. (Photo by Holly Eitenmiller / for Chronicle Media)

It’s time to gather around the Woodford County Courthouse for a rocking good time. Eureka will host its annual Market Day on June 17, this year featuring more vendors and the chance to decorate a rock for the city’s newest hide and seek game.

“We have over 100 vendors this year; crafts, foods, kettle corn, homemade pretzels snow cones,” said City of Eureka Mayor and event organizer Scott Zimmer. Zimmer and his wife, Lisa, have been organizing Market Day since 2014. The event features food, vendors, local businesses, nonprofits and service organizations, and local talent.

All manner of goods, from goat milk soap to potholders to lawn décor may be found among the vendors, along with kettle corn, homemade pretzels, root beer floats and snow cones. The west side parking area of the courthouse will now host vendors, as well.

Doug Smith, owner of Unique Twist Balloon Artists, will once again give away balloon art during Market Day, Nitsch Theater Arts’ Rising Stars will perform in the shade of the courthouse trees and there will be free bouncy houses for kids to enjoy.

The Zimmers partner with the Eureka Business Association and

In June, Eureka residents launched an ongoing game of hide-and-seek called “Eureka Rocks”, where hand-painted stones are hidden randomly about the city. Anyone who finds a decorated rock is given a free cookie by Tina Schreyer, owner of Dough See Dough Bakery on Main Street, then the rocks are hidden once again. Rocks will be available for painting and hiding June 17 at Eureka’s Annual Market Day. (Photo by Holly Eitenmiller / for Chronicle Media)

charge $10 per vendor. The nominal fee helps cover things like portable restrooms, the cost of live music and other necessities, Zimmer said. If any profits come from the day, the money goes the business association.

Along with bluegrass and gospel music, there also will be rock at the EBA tent; at least the kind residents have been painting and trading for cookies, in the city’s newest hide-and-seek game, “Eureka Rocks!” Since June 1, Eureka residents have been decorating rocks and placing them randomly about town.

A found rock may be brought to Dough See Dough Bakery on Main Street, where owner “Grandma Tina” Schreyer will reward the finder with a free cookie. Dawn Maloney, founder of

the Facebook group, “EurekaRocks” also encourages players to post a photo of found rocks to the page before hiding them again.

“People dress up rocks, hide them around town, then they post a photo and hide it around town again. Kids are finding the rocks and getting cookies,” Zimmer said. “We’re doing a bunch of things to bring attention and excitement to the town.”

On the last Saturdays in July, August and September, Eureka will join in Junk in the Trunk, a type of flea market where vendors sell goods from the trunks of their vehicles and beds of trucks.

“There will be seven cities, and we’ll be the furthest city west on I-24,” Zimmer said. “The first one will be next to the IGA parking lot, then we may get space in the IGA lot. We encourage craft and flea market goods.”

The charge to park-and-sell is $10 per vehicle and the hours are 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. Eureka Market Day runs from 10 a.m. – 2 p.m. EurekaRocks will continue through the summer, or until Grandma Tina runs out of cookies.

–Get ready to eat and shop as Market Day returns: Eureka event also features games, music–