Spring is in the air.....Brimfield Mania again!!!

Every May Brimfield mania strikes thousands of people who are inexplicably drawn to the little Town of Brimfield, Mass. to buy and sell antiques, junktiques, or anything else that they can find.  This is an event that everyone should experience at least once in their lives. My sons and I have been to these shows over and over again.

Chris still shows at the Meadows right on the main walk/roadway under his blue and white stripe tent.  This year he is taking an assistant Temple to help man the tent, so he can get out there and do some "tiquing" himself.  Lewis goes for the hunt part.  He will try to cover the entire area in several days.  We have local friends Lee Lee Simpson, and her husband who go for the FOOD and the thrill of the hunt. 

This year I get to stay home and hold down the shop.  Tough luck but someone has to do it.  The nice thing is that Lewis sends back blow by blow accounts of his finds.

May shows vary greatly in weather.  The first year that we went it was cold and rainy setting up.  I swore that I'd never do another show, but later that week we were making plans for the next show.  Another year, before we bought our own tent, it was in the 90's.  Who would has known?  The tent that we rented was like walking into a steam bath.  Exhibitors experience all these problems plus sleeping in their Vans the night before to be there for the early customers.  One year we even had to pack up everything because a hurricane was coming through.  What we do for the love of antiquing!!

The great thing is that you never know what you will find.

A Taste of Brimfield

Last year we took several photos of the shows at Brimfield. I just discovered them in my Photo file. This is some of the variety seen at a show. As you can tell there is lots and lots of variety. Everything from junkique to very fine antiques.
I guess that I 'm obsessing over the Brimfield experience, because Chris and I actually did the shows for years since the late 1990's. The first time that we set up was a cold and rainy May. There seemed to be mud everywhere. We shared a tent with some friends. I thought we'd be able to spend the night in a motel. Oh no, it was the van that night. We awoke at 4:00 am with customers poking into the tent. Somehow we found coffee, the elixir of life. After a few very good sales that first morning, I began to feel better about the whole affair. All the vendors in our area became our friends. We looked forward to seeing them each show. We took our Golden Retriever, Samantha, who would sit patiently under a table waiting for her walk. She loved to walk down one lane and up another sniffing other dogs as they passed. She made special friends too.
Lewis was working in New York City then. He would take the train up to Waterbury Conn. where we would pick him up. At this point Lewis was more into the art world than antiques. He found a nice piece of pottery that he purchased at a bargain price. Afterward he found out that it was a piece done by the first abstract artist, George Orh. He ended up making money on the piece. He was hooked. Once a treasure hunter always a treasure hunter.
This is only a little of the variety seen there. We have friends and customers who go up for the food. They have lobster rolls, fabulous pies, and a Pilgrim sandwich, which is a thanksgiving dinner complete in a bun. Chris must have a Pilgrim sandwich to have a completed Brimfield experience. When the weather is hot there are lines for the fresh squeezed lemonade and ice cream. When it's cold peolpe line up for Chili and clam chowder.


You see everything from mom's pushing strollers, to electric wheel chairs and scooters. Regular wheel chairs might be too much of a challenge, but I can tell you from personal experience that either scooters or the electric type work just fine. They even have handicapped portable restrooms. You should have seen me in my chair walking Samantha on a leash around Brimfield. We both did great. So much for experiences at Brimfield, if you go enjoy, and if you meet Chris give him our best.