MONMOUTH COUNTY – Vendors and customers came from miles around for the flea market at Allaire Village.
Unlike the village’s antique show, the flea market is open to all types of vendors and comes around twice a month rather than twice a year.
The event is hosted by the non-profit organization called the Historic Village at Allaire, which is dedicated to preserving the village for future generations. It costs five dollars for entry, with all of the proceeds going to the organization to support the park.
Customers could find a variety of items, including trading cards, antiques, and holiday-themed decorations.
One of the tables that sold holiday decor was selling metal craft Halloween decorations. The table was run by the Seemar brothers, Zach and Andrew, who run their own business called A. Seemar Greenhouses. Their business sells flowers, vegetables, and holiday decor exclusively to wholesale retailers, with their product being available at stores like Livoti’s in Brick. They also sell their product to various organizations to help with their fundraising efforts, including the Howell Little League and Farmingdale Boy Scout Troops.
“It’s not about getting money, it’s about getting smiles from our product,” a representative said.
Some vendors who were at the recent antique show also had their own stand at the flea market. The Point Pleasant Antique Emporium was there, selling similar things to what they had at the antique show. Some of the items up for sale were silver jewelry, stoneware, various vintage sports cards, some lead toy soldiers, and an old-fashioned railroad hat.
Other stands at the event sold products such as different types of hats, old comic books, different types of coins for coin collectors, and different types of trading cards for card collectors.
Families also use the flea market as an opportunity to sell off some of their old collections of stuff they no longer need.
A few options for food were available at the event. Chick-fil-A had a stand set up while the Allaire village bakery was selling baked goods.
Radio music for the event was provided by 107.1 The Boss, who had a stand with a speaker so patrons could enjoy some music while they shopped.
According to Daryl O’Connell, the Director of Development and Operations for the Historic Village at Allaire, the Allaire flea market has an average of 150 different vendors at its bi-monthly events, with at least 100 different vendors at all of its flea markets.
As for attendees, the flea market typically sees an average of 2,000 patrons, with half of them being returning customers and half of them being new customers, according to O’Connell.
O’Connell mentioned that the flea market itself usually gets busy enough that they have to start directing patrons into the overflow lot because the main parking lot is full. The market does offer various pickup services at the front for those who need help getting to and from the market. The market itself is run entirely by volunteer workers.
If you are a vendor looking to sign up to sell your goods at the Allaire Flea Market, registration applications are available at allairevillage.org. Commercial vendors have to contact Sylvia Allen and pay a fee of $495 to secure a sponsored spot. All other vendors can register online, pay a fee of $45 and receive a 20-foot by 30-foot space to set up their tables. All of the vendor proceeds also go to the Historic Village at Allaire Foundation.
The next Allaire flea market will be on Saturday, October 4. The rain date for the event will be on October 5.
