Lincoln Highway Nitty Gritty 2018
The annual Lincoln Highway Nitty Gritty (formerly known as the 4th of July Antiques Extravaganza) is an open-air show located in “Uptown” Mount Vernon, Iowa each July 4. In addition to the vendor booths, antique shops, specialty shops, and cafes along First Street remain open for the event.
The open-air antiques market will feature over 70 vendor booths, including the return of Gary and Sheri, the “Picking Preachers” of HGTV’s and DIY’s “West End Salvage,” who will be making their fifth trip to the antique festival.
More than 8,000 visitors are expected for the one-day-only outdoor sale. Mount Vernon’s historic First Street will be closed to traffic for the day, creating a Pedestrian Mall with an outdoor food court and vendor booths set up and down three blocks of Mount Vernon’s Uptown Business District. Scheduled to perform outside on the street will be Lily Wren, Billy Lee Janey & Son, and Goin’ up Caney.
The event went through a a redesign and name change last year, and is now known as the Lincoln Highway Nitty Gritty. There is a focus on vintage, agricultural, repurposed, industrial, primitive, and retro pieces, as well as traditional collectibles and antiques.
The event remains popular with the antique-buying public because of its Uptown location on a hill that allows the festival to go on rain or shine. And the festival’s location right in front of Mount Vernon’s air-conditioned shops and restaurants, including multiple antique shops, offers a comfortable retreat from the outdoor, open-air festival.
“This festival gets bigger every year and offers great mix of street food, restaurants, shopping, live music and treasures,” said event organizer Mary Evans. “This is the place to find plenty of those one-of-a-kind vintage, agricultural, repurposed, industrial, primitive and retro pieces, as well as traditional collectibles and antiques.”
As always the event is free and open to the 
public with indoor antique stores, free parking, and plenty of cool inside dining available.
About the Mount Vernon-Lisbon Community Development Group
The Mount Vernon-Lisbon Community Development Group exists to improve the social and economic well-being of Mount Vernon and Lisbon by capitalizing on their unique identity, assets and character. Mount Vernon was selected as a Main Street community in 2008, and practices economic development within the context of historic preservation.
About Main Street
The Main Street Approach is a copyrighted process of the National Trust for Historic Preservation. The Program has been used in Iowa since 1986 with a total of 56 communities having participated. Mount Vernon was selected as a Main Street community on March 4, 2008 by the State of Iowa, after submitting a comprehensive application and presenting to a select board of reviewers.
