All The Best Finds Are At The Allegan Antiques Market

Regardless what sort of antiques you’re looking for, whether you are looking for a childhood memory, an item you once had but is gone now or if you are a collector, the odds are very good that you will find it here.

Where And When

This is a large antiques show and one of my favorites! I look forward to it each Spring.

The Allegan Antiques Market is a HUGE outdoor event held on the last Sunday of the month from April through September.

It offers it’s shoppers 400 vendors/dealers at the Allegan County Fairgrounds venue, with 200 dealers inside the various barns and buildings and another 200 set up outdoors – many under tents.

And regardless of the weather, the show will go on – so rain or shine you can get your antique hunting fix.

According to their website admission is $4 per person. But, I called and spoke to Larry Wood, the owner of the show, and he told me that the show has remained the same price for 47 years and that children are always free. He said they don’t charge for children and preteens because they want to encourage parents to bring their kids and have them join in the fun too! It’s a great stategy to foster future antique hunters! It is because of venues such as this that we were always able to take our daughter with us and why, as an adult, she still love going.

He also said that if someone does want to charge for your children (say around 14/15 and younger), tell them that Larry said they are free!

It’s good to talk to the boss!

What To Expect

Every time I have gone to this show – and that is quite a few times – there is ALWAYS a long line to get into the fairgrounds. It is that popular! The line will travel down the street and around the corner but don’t let that scare you. The line moves quickly!

The show has a good system in place for getting visitors in as quickly as possible. Afterall, if you’re not inside they aren’t making money at the gate, the vendors aren’t making money and you are not spending it getting the perfect treasure.

The traffic will be divided into two lines as you near the entrance and someone will be there at the gate to take your money. You will then be directed to a large field for parking. There will be several individuals along the way waving you into a certain area. They keep it streamlined and moving!

Take note of where you park because like I said, it’s a large field. If you need handicap or special parking, make sure you let them know as soon as you start into the park so they can wave you over to another area closer to the infield.

But, even from the field parking it is a pretty easy walk for the most part. There are some stairs leading up to the infield or a roadway that most people use. Since so many have carts or wagons, this is definitely the easier climb!

And…Let The Hunt Begin!

Once you’re into the show you may be a little overwhelmed at first. There are approximately 10-12 rows of antiques and dealers for you to walk back and forth browsing their wares or you can go into the barns first. I think everyone has their own game plan on how they proceed.

For my husband, he usually hits the far back rows first then the barns, followed by the main body of rows. My daughter and I start on the back rows and move back toward the parking lot. We go into the barns as we make it to the end of the row. Dart in, return to the rows – you know, a zig-zag pattern. It’s kind of weird how people get with how they meander through.

I’ll say this here but I will reiterate it later…if you have a wagon or a cart, take it. BUT, it will be a pain in the backside going through any of the buildings. Trust me, I know for certain.

I have a “beach cart” that I purchased off of QVC years and years ago that I still use every time I go to an antique show or flea market and I love! It is the Wonder Wheeler by Rio Beach brand.

It looks a lot like a stroller but instead of a seat for a child it has a net basket. I think I paid around $40 for it when I made my purchase and now the same one is $115 + on Amazon. If this is an item that interest you, here’s the link to help you out: https://www.amazon.com/Brands-

(Disclosure: I currently do not receive any affiliate money for sharing this product but that could change at any time and without further notice)

This cart is my choice pick because:

It folds nicely for storage in the garage, under stairs, etc
It folds to fit in my vehicle during transport. I have a van but this would easily fit into the trunk of a car
The cart is lightweight
With these tires, it can go almost anywhere!
The Wonder Wheeler is very easy to maneuver
The cart can hold a lot of antique treasures

What I don’t care for is that it can be awkward to fold for storage…so, one con and six pros

What Will I Find?

As with any antique show this size, you will see a lot of the same sort of items spread throughout. There are always the glass dealers showcasing figurines, dishes and so on. You will find books, metal works, old tools, farmhouse decor and vintage anything and everything.

Furniture is always present at this show too. Some booths only deal with large furniture such as wardrobes, chairs and tables while others offer more manageable accent pieces. If you are shopping for furniture, make sure you bring a vehicle and/or trailer to haul it out with you because there will be no holding or saving until you can come back.

I did notice this the last time that there were a couple guys in a golf cart helping some people take items to their vehicles. I haven’t noticed that before but there were several thankful people using their services.

Everything is packed back up and hauled out at the end of the day. So not only will you need to be prepared to take it with you but if you think you want it, get it. There’s no going back to get it on another day.

I’m Feeling A Little Peckish (aka Feed Me!)

The show also has food vendors throughout the venue. I have seen the lemonade stands that are popular at county fairs, ice cream, nuts, sausages, corn dogs, fries, pizza and more. I’ve bought a couple things over the years but, honestly, we take our drinks with us, as well as, a few snacks to hold us over.

Just keep in mind-fair type food at fair type prices. If you are good with that, you will find what you want here. You should find plenty of places scattered around too for you to sit and enjoy your meal. There are some picnic tables here and there but they usually fill quickly. I see a lot people just find a nice grassy place to sit under a tree and enjoy chit chat time while they eat.

On a couple of occasions we have stopped at a Mexican restaurant in Otsego on our way home but the last time half of us got an unhealthy dose of food poisoning and we all received unfriendly service. Now, I pack a picnic lunch and we enjoy a little time sitting near the river before we head home. This was the perfect ending to the day. It was a time to watch the boats on the Kalamazoo River and show off our finds for the day.

Yay or Nay?

We’ve been going to this particular antique show for at least six or seven years. We enjoy it because it is large and there is always a lot of vendors, as promised. This show is large enough that we don’t drive for an hour and a half just to spend an hour here. It generally takes us between three and four hours to get through the entire thing, sometimes twice.

We have taken others with us and they enjoyed it too.

So, that would be a Yay from me!

One trend I have noticed the last couple of years though that I do not care for is the rising cost of everything…and I do mean everything.

I understand that for many vendors this is their job but when I see vendors who used to have booths you couldn’t hardly get into now standing with no one in them, well…

Dates to Remember

Here is a list of the dates for the remainder of this season and next year’s season

The show is only on the last Sunday of the month and is open 8am – 4pm

Tips To Make The Day Best

Take a cooler with bottles of water, juice or soda. The vendor lines can be long and the drinks are expensive
Use a wagon or cart. There is nothing more tiring than trying to carry all your finds that long
Wear a bright colored shirt or hat if you are with companions in case you are separated
Make sure you have a specific meet up time and place to reorganize and decide on a game plan
Pack a picnic and enjoy some quiet time near the Kalamazoo River
Make sure you are prepared to take home anything you buy that day – no holds here!
There are a few restrooms around the fairgrounds but the best and biggest one is under the grandstand
TAKE AND WEAR SUNSCREEN, HATS AND SUNGLASSES

What The Day Cost

The only expenses I am sharing today is the costs of the admission and snacks. What is spent at the show will vary from person to person depending on what treasures you find. Most times I do not spend a lot but occasionally I have a day where so many things just “speak” to me.

Admission for three adults: $12
Ice Cream for two: $8
Mileage: 182 miles