The Brimfield Adventure

For those of us who love the thrill of the hunt when it comes to vintage/antique items, Brimfield in May is just as exciting as the night before Christmas. If you haven't been to the Brimfield, Massachusetts Antiques Show, you have surely missed something. With the car packed for our adventure, a friend and I hit the road. The drive from Jaffrey to Brimfield, MA is not a long one, just about an hour and twenty minutes. The route traveled is all country roads past gorgeous farmland and through rural towns; there is absolutely nothing stressful about this car ride. Wondering what we packed? A vintage "granny cart" (an aluminum cart on two wheels that is totally needed to haul around your purchases), bottled water, fully charged cell phones and cash! As we approached the Brimfield town line, my heart began to beat fast. I was so excited! My friend who joined me on the trip had never been to Brimfield. All the way down I told him all I could about what he was about to experience; he of course felt my eagerness to begin the hunt. I have been going down to Brimfield for about 15 years now, and still have never seen the whole show in one day due to the overwhelming size; hence I try to stay overnight when I can at a local hotel in Sturbridge. Brimfield began in one field in 1959 and started to expand in 1975 to other fields, now encompassing 23 fields. My mother recalls going to Brimfield in the late 1960s to find her own treasures when it was much, much smaller. Now Brimfield runs three times a year, May, July & September for six days each run. I have sold at Brimfield in the past as a dealer, and those experiences gave me a whole new appreciation of the other dealers who work their tents/spaces and the tremendous amount of work that goes into each event. It's a whole community full of interesting people, stories and of course, wicked cool stuff! May is hands down, the busiest Brimfield time of the three scheduled shows; parking is very tight, many parking fields are "full" and there are hundreds and hundreds of people as far as the eye can see. The food is great, the kettle corn even better and people come from all around the world. Movie stars and show sets (such as HBO who we did some business with one summer at Brimfield) send their set designers and decorators; and, as you may have seen on various TV shows, many celebrities, such as Lara Spencer and Martha Stewart which have been known to make their appearance. No matter what you are looking for at Brimfield, you will find it in regard to antiques, primitives, mid-century, vintage, steampunk and shabby chic. I, myself, own a mid-century store in Jaffrey. I love anything mid-century/vintage! So, my eyes are automatically drawn to items from the 1950s to 1980s (and now moving into the 1990s). As a dealer, I am very versed in the art of "haggling/negotiating" prices. There always must be "room" in what I purchase so I can make a bit of money re-selling the mid-century treasures I love. The prices at Brimfield vary. You won't see typical flea market prices, but if you look hard enough you will find just what you are looking for and hopefully can get it at a price that works for both you and the dealer. By the last day, which is Sunday, most dealers are tired and ready to pack up. Many dealers may have already left, but for those that have remained until the last day, you are sure to find much better deals on what items they have left. As I remember all too well, from years past when we sold, when it came time to start packing, I was more than happy to make fabulous deals so I didn't have to haul it all back to my store. Some years, I have even been given (yes, given) things from other dealers on the last day. One thing that is very true about Brimfield is that you will see items there that you will never see in any other venue. You will be awestruck and excited. It's a MUST experience. Kari Lindstrom owns the popular vintage shop in Jaffrey, NH called The Melamine Cup which opened in 2013. She is past board member of The Jaffrey Chamber of Commerce and has a professional background in career counseling.