Allegan Antiques Market Opening Day

Our favorite hometown antiques show opens this weekend and we couldn’t be more excited.  The Allegan Antiques Market has been a mainstay at the Allegan County Fairgrounds since 1978 and boasts over 400 exhibitors.  The opening marks the start of a season of Sunday treasure hunts for many across Michigan.  We love this show for so many reasons – it’s well organized down to the parking and food set-ups and the quality and variety of the vendors is top notch.

Show History

The market was started by Larry and Lori Wood over 40 years ago.  The couple loved visiting antiques shows while living in another state and wanted to bring a similar experience back home where they lived in Grand Rapids.  They drove all over Michigan to find potential sellers, eventually rounding up 190 vendors when they opened.  The market has changed considerably over the years with new buildings, expanded exhibitor areas, food services and picnic areas and they have grown to feature hundreds of dealers.  It has also become a family business that now includes their children and grandchildren.

Our Love of Allegan

Jill has been attending the Allegan Antiques Market for about 20 years, having been introduced to it by her mom.  She attributes Allegan with getting her started hunting for vintage pieces.  Around the time of her first visit, she was newly married and starting a family and had very little money for decorating.  She was able to get her first solid piece of furniture there – a beautiful hutch that still sits in her dining room today – and lots of other unique pieces that added character and helped her house feel like a home.  She has had the treasure hunting bug ever since.

Jill introduced me to the show 10 years ago and I was instantly smitten.  I knew right away this show was just a little bit extra.  There is something about the vendors here that stands out – so many unique pieces, great variety, and even the way they display their goods is so appealing.  Just about everywhere I turn now at home there are pieces that I’ve found at Allegan.  Most notably, the portrait pencil sketch I talked about in a recent blog, and a pair of teal color dining room chairs that I’ll talk about in a later post. 

Visiting Allegan has become a tradition for us at least once a year…and it feels almost like Christmas Day when the season opens. We love putting on our cutest treasure hunting gear, wide brim hats, and good walking shoes to start combing those aisles.  We rarely go with anything specific in mind and let our hearts lead the way.

What can you find at Allegan?

The Allegan market draws dealers from Michigan, Indiana and Illinois and shoppers from all over the state.  Exhibitors carry a large variety of antiques and collectibles, including glass, pottery, china, advertising, vintage jewelry, sport & fishing, furniture and more.  Recent trends in home design have made the show a hot spot for architectural, industrial and farmhouse style as well.

Anyone that loves antiques knows its all about the hunt…and there are few better places than Allegan to hunt.  Whether you’re looking for large furniture pieces or “smalls” to decorate your shelves, Allegan will not disappoint.

What to Know and When to Go?

The event opens Sunday, May 29, and is held at the Allegan County Fairgrounds.  When you see the big concrete chicken at the gate, you know you’ve arrived.

There are five Allegan Antiques Market shows each season, always held on the last Sunday of the month, from May to September. Admission is only $5 and parking is always free.

Really savvy market goers are early birds, so before the gates open there will be a long line of cars waiting to get in.  But, there are three entrance gates and we’ve always experienced a pretty smooth process by event staff to get people in and ready to shop. If you prefer to avoid the bulk of the crowds, plan to arrive after 10:00.

When you get inside, you’ll be met with hundreds of dealers, some outside and some under cover. The market is a rain-or-shine event so plan accordingly.  Pack your sunscreen, a light jacket, an umbrella if rain is possible and most importantly, good walking shoes.  The market spreads across 40 acres and nothing spoils a good treasure hunt like sore feet.

We wouldn’t dream of shopping an antiques market without our wagon’s, but Allegan does offer some convenient services, like courtesy cart assistance to help you lift heavy items to your car if you need it. 

Enjoy the show!

~ Beckie