Flea markets are an adventure. Often hit or miss, with a whole different inventory each time you visit, the potential for hidden gems among the junk keeps us hunting for treasure. Here are some of the best mercantile menageries to try!
Renninger's Antique & Farmers' Market
Renninger's is an institution, with four locations (the closest being Kutztown) and its own newspaper (Renninger's Antique Guide). Open year-round, they've got an average of almost 400 vendors indoors and add another 300 or so outdoors in good weather. Consignment, flea and antique-specific markets at Renninger's each have their own hours, but you're generally safe before 4 p.m. to get a look at everything.
With events like outdoor movies for kids and this month's attempt to stage the world's biggest water balloon toss, it's a market that strives to be more. Monthly music swaps every second Saturday attract dealers and collectors of instruments and records, and a seasonal bimonthly Antique and Collector's Extravaganza, occurring this month, offers even more of the interesting old objects that make flea markets so much fun.
Renninger's doubles as a farmers' market, with delis, doughnuts, pickles and many more treats and staples from local farms and artisans.
Jake's Flea Market
Started by Jacob “Jake” Treichler in 1980, Jake's Flea Market grew into a fun and friendly weekend destination fostered by his sense of humor and community spirit. Even after Jake's sudden death in 2003, the market in Barto is a close-knit affair run by his brother's family.
Along with the usual “everything,” Jake's is great for very old antiques rustled up out of Berks County barns, from primitive technology to vintage décor. With events specializing in military items, old toys or this month's guitar and music swap, there are opportunities for collectors to zero in on their particular interests.
April through December, Jake's is open from 6 a.m. to 1 p.m. Grab some baked goods and produce for the week and enjoy live music from Jake's Stage while you comb the Treasure Barn and outside stands for the rare and remarkable, whether it be ancient, handmade or new.
Rice's Sale and Country Market
Located just 10 minutes outside New Hope, Bucks County's oldest and largest flea market, open March through December, is a massive must-see. If somehow your search of more than 400 vendors on this 30-acre spot doesn't turn up what you're looking for, the excellent antique shops nearby could constitute phase two.
Rice's is resplendent with the Amish meats, produce and baked goods that have made it a market since A.L. Rice started auctioning his own and others' goods from his farm in 1860, and also bursts with collectibles, cheap plants, rugs, clothing and more.
Hours from 7 a.m. to 1 p.m. mean an early arrival to this tidy and wheelchair-accessible market will provide the best parking options. Work up an appetite for lunch at Peddler's Village or in New Hope!
Green Dragon Market & Auction
Green Dragon Market in Lancaster County has been a landmark since 1932. Around 400 merchants, growers and craftspeople on the 30-acre site offer the baked goods, local meats and produce of an epic farmers' market, but also pretty much everything else. As the local saying goes, “If you can't buy it at the Green Dragon, it chust ain't fer sale!”
Here in Amish country, part of the market is devoted to hay, straw and small-animal auctions. Vendors of more universally desirable goods sell everything from hex signs, antiques and collectibles to auto supplies, quilts and cookware. Snack shops and sit-down restaurants with the flavors of barbecue and Mexican, as well as traditional Pennsylvania Dutch fare, offer plenty to munch as you explore.
While some flea markets have early-bird hours and close in the afternoon, Green Dragon is open 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. every Friday.
Blue Ridge Flea Market
Originally a drive-in movie theater in the '50s, the Blue Ridge Flea Market has been a jumble of used and new finds to forage through since 1976. Located near the famous Hotel of Horror and Sorrenti Vineyard, it's a great stop while exploring some Poconos attractions.
Like many markets, you'll find fresh produce here, and folks rave about the crunchy cucumbers from Pocono Pickle. You're liable to work up an appetite hunting through the inventory of around 300 vendors, while hiking up and down rough terrain and gravel paths. Bring good walking shoes, and perhaps a parasol on a hot sunny day, and enjoy the scenic setting of the Saylorsburg area.
Blue Ridge can also be a good place to find plants and handmade furniture. Open 6:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. on the weekends, come early for the best parking and loot.
