On Friday, I spent seven hours treasure hunting the fields of the Brimfield Flea Market, and I didn’t see even a quarter of the booths.
There was excitement in the air. That one special object that you’ve been searching for might be around the corner. Or, you might fall in love with something that you don’t even know exists until the moment that you see it.
It’s the sort of place where total strangers chat with you. There are a lot of quirky characters. Most are delightful.
I do, however, give a wide berth to the men smoking cigars. And don’t vendors realize they lose business if their stock smells of cigarette smoke?
When I sat at a picnic table to have lunch, a man eating across from me told me all about his obsession, which is something called pulled glass. Despite the zillions of things displayed at Brimfield, it was all that he looked for. He was like a bloodhound on the trail.
The weather was perfect. It was the sort of cool, breezy, and sunny day that makes putting up with everything else that New England throws at us worthwhile. It put most everyone in a good mood.
Of course, there are always exceptions.
I didn’t come home with much, just a few old farming magazines and two egg cups. It was a very pleasant day.
I so envy you! California just doesn’t do this sort of flea market! Oh, the fun I could have!
Hi Lynn,
I’m in Pasadena, a few miles from the Rose Bowl Flea Market. But that’s almost too big to be fun anymore, and it costs to get in. But I recommend the Pasadena City College Flea Market (on the Rose Parade route). It’s held the first Sunday of every month on the college parking lots. It’s Free and parking is not bad with the Parking structures and surrounding neighborhood. The extra nice thing about this one is that the money the vendors pay for their parking space areas all goes to Student Scholarships which was the purpose of establishing the event. There is a range of treasures–I’m looking at a little iron sixties-style “bistro” table and chairs I got there twenty years ago. I could get in “trouble” just in one parking lot! Wish I could have gone to East Coast flea markets!
I have heard the Alemeda Flea market is huge-haven’t had a chance to go yet!
I LOVE flea markets. We had a wonderful local one that had many interesting items and folks. They had high end merchandise, such as beautiful had crafted jewelry, hand made clothing in beautiful prints for children and adults, and fun “junk” to look at and sometimes buy. It was where I purchased my heavy iron chicken shaped door knocker and rake hook that adorns my chicken coop (one of my best finds!). But then it was slowly taken over by gun vendors and glass pot pipe sellers and many of the other vendors began leaving. I don’t bother to go anymore, not being in the market for those kind of items… I really miss the occasional Saturday morning stroll through the market booths each summer through fall.
Love Brimfield. Have not been in ages. A longer drive from Tenn than Michigan. We went to our county fair the other night. Very small but interesting. It was cattle and poultry night. We saw many different chickens. The two breeds that stood out to me were……Naked Neck chickens which I thought at first were sick or molting and Frizzle Cochins.
Well come to find out the Naked Necks were were quite well and the Cochins were just gorgeous. The feathers were something else. There were roosters also. The barn was a buzz with clucks of all sorts and doodle-dooing! I was so happy when I recognized a few chickens because of what I have learned watching HenCam. Thanks Terry. We are never to old to learn new things!!
Have never been to the Brimfield Flea. My cousin’s husband was there last week shopping for inventory for his antique lighting business. I’ve seen his warehouse, and I think he was just shopping! I am so green with envy now to know you where there, too. Did you run into Martha? LOL