Navigating the Wonder of Round Top Antiques Week

Round Top Antiques Week happens twice a year in the spring and fall.  It’s a huge festival that occurs in the small town of Round Top, Texas (population of approx. 90 people).  It’s not a typical flea market that you can walk through in a day. The event spans miles around Round Top and its surrounding communities with vendors setting up shop in fields, tents and barns.  Each field is an experience of its own.  Round Top has a reputation for attracting the top vintage and antique dealers in the country, making it a destination for interior designers and “junkers” alike.  You might even see an HGTV star or two while you’re there.

Our Visit

Jill and I visited Round Top in the fall of 2015, right before the opening of our Antiques Shop.  We wanted to fill our booth with the most unique vintage pieces anyone would find in Michigan, so we bought a couple of one-way tickets to Texas and rented a Penske truck to haul our goods home.  Our trip was only a few days because we had to factor in the long drive home to Michigan.  In hindsight, we needed much more time for an event of this magnitude.  We thought we were prepared for its largess and uniqueness, but it still surprised us.  We both came home with some personal treasures, and lots of goods for the shop, including a few amazing steer horns, a mid-century gym locker shelf, a couple pairs of chairs, some great art pieces and a treasure trove of ideas for merchandising our shop.  We definitely succeeded in our goal for attending this event.

Where to Start

This is a question I wish we had done more research on beforehand.  The event is so vast (spreads 18 miles in and around Round Top) with many fields full of tents and buildings that are shows in and of themselves.  There are so many things to see, if you’re not careful you can miss the vendors that most fit your style and budget.  We started near Warrenton just before Marburger Farm Antique Show which is one of the key markets at Round Top.  Our eyes got so big that we parked immediately and started combing through the first few sections, not fully realizing the many more miles of merchandise there was to see.  We didn’t find much the first day and spent a lot of our energy sifting through vendors that weren’t the best fit for what we were looking for.  Looking back, we should’ve driven through Highway 237 once to pick a few must stop spots and fill in once those were covered.  Here are just some of the venues we recommend visiting, in no particular order:

Blue Hills: One of our very favorites!  Owned by a brother and sister team – Corey Layne and Stephanie Disney – that purchased the 80,000 square foot venue in 2018.  The venue is a favorite stop for interior designers with its eclectic mix of curated vendors. 

Marburger Farm Antique Show: One of the most special venues at Round Top, Marburger has the feel of a European antiques market.  The merchandise for this show is gathered fresh for each event, so you won’t find things you saw last time you were there.

Market Hill: Described as a ‘visionary shopping experience’, Market Hill caters to a discerning customer looking for special pieces.  They have a new facility with an on-site restaurant among other perks. 

Bader Ranch: Here you’ll find 7,500 square feet of fine European antiques and mid-century modern.

Big Red Barn: Perhaps the most recognizable venue due to its “Big Red Barn”, this venue can be an all-day event.  Vendors feature Americana, primitive, porcelain, estate jewelry and other eclectic items.

What Can You Find?

I can’t say enough that this event is like no other.  The vast fields become home for a short time to vendors that carry furniture, rugs, jewelry, collectibles, decorative pieces, steer horns – and everything from low to high-end items.  You will also see a host of design eras represented throughout – mid-century modern, art deco, Americana and more.  Most of the vendors seem more than willing to share the history of the pieces you’re interested in….so be sure to ask. One thing we have noticed over the last few years, as home renovation and décor shows have continued to rise in popularity, is that prices have increased.  Designers love to incorporate vintage pieces into their projects, and they are sharing their secrets with the masses.  Vendors are understandably capitalizing on this when setting their prices.  You can still find great bargains, but you may need to look at the bargain fields to score the best deals.  That said, deal making is part of the game, so we share a few tips in the next section.

The Art of the Deal

As we always say, it’s worth a shot to negotiate, but be sure to do so with respect.  Most sellers at Round Top will be willing to negotiate. It will depend on the item, the day, maybe the mood of the seller and most certainly on the way that you ask.  Just be mindful that this is the vendors business.  They take pride in the items they curate and the value they place on the items through pricing.  When asking if they will take a lower price, you don’t need to knock what its listed for, or the condition of the item.  Simply ask if they would be willing to take what you’re willing to pay for the item or ask if they would consider a percentage discount. And be prepared to walk away if they don’t budge.

What to Know and When to Go

Event Dates: This is a tricky one.  Technically the show is advertised as a one-week event, but really vendors set up for 2-3 weeks.  Not all vendors are there the whole time though (i.e. Marburger is one-week only).  The week before the official event begins is considered preview week, so if you’re looking to avoid the bigger crowds, there is plenty to see during this time.  Hours for most vendors are 8-6.

Parking: Parking is everywhere and fairly inexpensive ($5 or free) – BUT, you will likely want to park, walk and move often to keep advancing along so the fees can add up.  When we were there, we parked, walked a while, crossed the street and circled around back to the truck. If we had any large items to pick up, we did that as we advanced back down the road to another section.

Lodging: If you’re out of towners like us, you will want to book your lodging far in advance of the spring and fall shows.  Junkers come from far and wide for this event and lodging fills up quickly, especially the closer you are to Round Top.  We stayed at a lovely Bed & Breakfast about 20 mins away and didn’t mind the drive in each day.  The Roundtop Chamber of Commerce has a good list of places to stay. 

Food: There are tons of places to eat along the route, but we highly recommend making time for the famous Royers Café, even if it’s just for a slice of pie.  We did and it actually is pretty special.

What to Wear: One thing we noticed immediately when we arrived at Round Top – style.  The vintage loving gals that flock to this event dress the part.  We recommend wearing ‘stylish’ layers.  It was sweltering hot during our stay, but it always started cool in the morning.  Wear clothing that will breathe well in the heat.  Of course, stylish comfy shoes are a must, but open-toes are not recommended (many of the venues are fields of grass and the roads are full of gravel).  And even though I try to avoid blisters, I seem to always get them because of so much walking.  My advice, pack a few Band-Aids in your purse.  Finally, don’t forget your sunscreen.  You will be outdoors in the direct sunlight most of the time. 

What to Bring:  Drive a truck or large size vehicle, even if you don’t plan to buy anything large.  Round Top will always surprise you and you’d hate to pass up something special because you didn’t have a way to take it home.  A tape measure and cash are also must brings.

Junk Gypsies

We certainly can’t talk about Round Top without mentioning the Junk Gypsies – sisters Amie and Jolie Sikes.  I have been a fan of theirs since their show aired on HGTV.  On the show, they brought viewers along on their hunt for roadside treasures, transforming homes with found ‘junk’.   I fell in love with their Texas charm, love of family and the inspirational story of creating their best lives.  By watching them, I was introduced to the magic of Round Top, where the sisters own a store (and now a hotel).  The store is a mix of random vintage pieces, art, books, western ‘gypsy’ style clothing and Junk Gypsy branded gear. It’s merchandised in a very authentic, entertaining way unlike anything else. Of course, it was a must-visit for us, and we’d recommend it for anyone attending the event.  The sisters are always nearby, so you might even see one of them while you’re there – we had the pleasure of meeting Jolie and getting a picture with her.  I was fan-girling for sure.    

Junk-o-Rama Prom

You would probably be hard-pressed to find anyone that would say Junk-o-Rama Prom isn’t the highlight of Round Top Antiques Week. The Junk Gypsies started the tradition many years ago, almost accidently. During Antiques Week they came across a pile of vintage prom dresses that had been overlooked and forgotten. They decided to pay tribute to them by hosting a “Junk-o-Rama prom. They roamed the grounds and pulled together all of the vintage dresses they could find and played dress-up with customers and vendors. Everyone had such a blast that the prom has become an annual tradition for one night only during the event week.

Prom is known for ladies going all out, wearing old dresses with cowboy boots and hats, loaded with jewelry and more kitsch than you can imagine. We didn’t pack a prom dress to wear, so we cobbled some crazy outfits together while shopping during the week. We were pretty impressed with ourselves…I especially loved the massive Texas necklace I bought from a vendor. I layered it with a necklace I brought with me and thought it looked fabulous. We had SO MUCH FUN! There was music, great food, special sales from vendors located around prom location and twinkling lights everywhere. The best part though – the joy expressed by everyone there.

Round Top for us is the mecca of all treasure hunting adventures.  If we didn’t live so far, we would go often.  As I’ve mentioned, this is a big event that does require a little advance research in order to make the most of your trip.  I recently learned of a DIY blogger – Kim Jones of Salvaged Living – that does guided tours on occasion.  Boy, I wish I had known about that when we went.  The show can be so overwhelming, especially your first time.  If you’re considering a visit, I’d recommend reaching out to Kim to see if she has a tour planned or if you could plan one with her.  She is a seasoned veteran and could really help you make the most of your trip. 

Round Top’s fall Antiques Week is October 25-29, 2022. There is still time to plan a trip if you’re not already planning it. Let us know if you go!

~ Beckie