Bishop Hill will be an antique shoppers’ paradise on Saturday July 12.  Three events are scheduled that day that will appeal to pickers everywhere.  Start off your day by checking out the Prairie Market at the VASA Archive Museum.  From 8 a.m. to 2 p.m., a variety of vintage and collectible items will be on display for purchase from local and regional vendors.  Call 309 927-3898 for more details.

Next stop is the 24th annual Bishop Hill Antique Market.  It will be held at the Colony School from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.  This popular country antique market features 60 antique dealers from Illinois, Iowa, Indiana, Kentucky, Ohio, Wisconsin, Michigan, Missouri, Pennsylvania and Texas. A selection of primitive antiques, folk art, early country, textiles, stoneware, baskets and more will be available.  Admission is $5.  The market – held rain or shine – has a festive atmosphere with folk music and lunch available by the Galva Lions Club.  For more information, call (309) 927-3037 or visit www.sweetannieprimitives.net. Finally, drop in at the Dairy Building for a duck decoy carving presentation from 1:30 to 4:30 p.m.  Pat Gregory will be doing both decoy carving and painting demonstrations in the tradition of the old time Illinois River Decoy Carvers.  Attendees will see traditional decoys carved with hand tools and painted in the ways of the old masters.  Mr. Gregory will have examples of his personal group of hunting decoys as well as examples of his great grandfather’s decoys.   Plenty of photos, duck head patterns for the kids, and literature will be on hand for this great family tradition.  This event is free and open to public.  The Dairy Building is located at 410 North Erickson Street.  For more details, call 309 927-3899 or go to www.bishophillheritage.org .