Treasure Hunting at the Brimfield Flea Market

The Brimfield Antiques Show, commonly known as the Brimfield Flea Market, started in 1959. Brimfield is a small New England town in Central Massachusetts. The Brimfield flea market has become one the largest antiques show in the country.

During the flea market, sleepy Brimfield's population jumps from 3,000 to over 30,000 visitors and over 5,000 dealers. Brimfield is approximately one hour from Boston, Hartford or Springfield, seven miles west of Sturbridge, Massachusetts., on Route 20.

Bargain hunters will find Americana, antiques, books, collectibles, cast iron, clocks, coins, ephemera, folk art, fine art, glass and china, jewelry, lamps, quilts, stamps, textiles, toys, vintage clothing, and so much more at the Brimfield flea market.

In an effort to be more web-friendly, the official Brimfield flea market web site now includes a database featuring more than 1,000 vendors. It includes vendors' names, location on the lot, and the type of items exhibited. The database is searchable, so it is easy to locate specific items from vendors at the Brimfield flea market. Looking for silver teapots? Or mechanical game boards? or tramp art? Do a search in the Brimfield flea market vendor database. Some listings in the database conveniently include an e-mail address. The web site for the Brimfield flea market also contains a chat room and a bulletin board for attendees, official notices and lost and found, as well as collecting.

Tips for Treasure Hunting at the Brimfield Flea Market

1. Best Deals. The best place to find deals at the Brimfield flea market is in the smaller "fields," local jargon for shows, or in the rear-most parts of the fields. The bargains will be found not at the Brimfield flea market's roadside where the professional vendors set up shop, but more towards the back, away from the road. These are great tables to browse for bargains, deals, and eclectic finds.