Brimfield Antiques Center, Massachusetts, United States

5Debbie R 5:00 PM Jun 2, 2016

Mecca of all Flea Markets
We went to the opening week for Brimfield in 2016. I tried to obtain a hotel room 3 months prior to the date and every local hotel, motel and B & B were fully booked. We ended up staying in Connecticut. It was a 45-minute drive to get to Brimfield but at this time of year, the drive was very pleasant. Google maps took us in a back way missing all the traffic on Main Street. Once we were there we took the first parking spot we found. It was in the first field, they charged us $8 for parking and $5 a piece to enter. We were unaware that this field was one that contained the higher priced items that "True Antique Dealers" were looking for. From there we walked down Main Street. OMG, the amount of traffic was unbelievable. We were glad we parked right away that way we didn't get stuck in the numerous traffic jams. The problem was many people purchased large items and had to go get their truck to pick up their merchandise and return to the field they bought it at, causing severe delays as they were unable to make their turn into the field due to the traffic which held everyone else up. When we purchased something we couldn't carry to the car we asked the dealer to hold it for us. We continued to shop and picked everything up when we were done shopping. We still got stuck in traffic but at least we were done shopping. All the traffic was heading out of town so the delays were long. We chose to go in the opposite direction to leave and our Google maps found us a way out and back to the hotel. Easy and no traffic. The market is huge, field after field to look at. We enjoyed the areas more in the middle of it all. Brimfield Barn, Collins Apple Barn, Brimfield Acres North and the Meadows. We were not looking for antiques, just the odd and unusual pieces. We picked up many license plates one for each state we have visited. Also purchased some outdoor furniture, a wooden ladder that I will repurpose into a rack to hang my blankets and throws on. If you look hard enough you can find just about anything. Be nice to the dealers. We didn't get there at the crack of dawn like so many other people do. We take our time and arrive about 9-9:30am. You must remember these dealers have been up since 2 or 3AM getting everything ready each day they are there. By the middle of the afternoon they are beat. While we walked around we bought a huge bag of Kettle corn. As we spoke to several of the vendors we offered them a few handfuls, they really did appreciate the offering. Once in a while we would ask if they needed anything. One lady was alone as the rest of her help was shopping. She asked for a Diet ice tea and we went and got one for her. It's the simple things that make people happy. Of course, while we were there I was looking for the show Flea Market Flip. I saw Cija walking around as we drove by & gave her a thumbs up and a "Flea Market Flip" rocks yell. And wouldn't you know it after we parked we were in the same lot that they record the program in. Saw all the staff and watched for a while. We went out shopping and there she was again, Cija, fixer extraordinaire from the show. We went up and introduced ourselves, struck up a conversation and talked for about 10 minutes. Great team and a great show. The whole reason we went to Brimfield. Sometimes you just gotta take a chance and do it! Great experience! You won't be disappointed,

5Jan B 5:00 PM Feb 12, 2017

Everything and The Kitchen Sink!
We heard about Brimfield for years and finally made the 800+ mile trip in May. Wow--you can find virtually anything at Brimfield from the highest end antiques to real flea market bargains. We stayed for 3 days. Don't be afraid to bargain! Some vendors won't budge, but most will. What we didn't realize is that there are vendors there for the entire show, and then there are one day shows and two day shows, so it's a good idea to check the show calendar to make sure you're there for the day shows. Each day show is held in a different field, and it really takes an entire day to go through one field, which has hundreds of vendors. We missed one of the one day shows, unfortunately. The one day shows charge an admission fee. I think it was $5 per person, well worth it. There are no admission fees for the vendors along the main road and some of the smaller fields. There's paid parking all along the main road. The earlier you arrive, the better your chances of getting a spot closest to the one day shows and main fields. Closer parking is more expensive ($8-$10 if memory serves), but you'll appreciate being close after walking all day. If you're buying furniture, you can drive in to pick up your treasures. If you're buying "smalls", take a rolling cart that will roll well on uneven ground. Some bubble wrap, newspaper, or other packing material would be good, too. Food and drink are available along the route, but I'd recommend taking a bottle of water and some crackers. Restrooms are available. Dress comfortably, preferably in layers appropriate to the season. This is not a place for pets, so don't bring them. It would be unfair to the animal, and I think they're prohibited in most areas anyway.