Home décor treasure hunters already know the secrets to successfully navigating the Lucketts Vintage Market. But do you? Market founder Suzanne Eblen offers tips for those headed to the wildly popular May 16 to 18 event.
Eblen calls the market of 200 vendors at the Clarke County Ruritan Fairgrounds the Goldilocks of vintage markets. “It’s not too big, so you can navigate it. You can see everything in one really nice, good full day. We have guys that help you move stuff to your vehicle. It’s a manageable but large-scale event,” she says.
Know when to go. Friday tends to attract buyers like decorators and influencers who purchase lots of furniture. “Saturday tends to end up being a little bit more like family day,” Eblen says. The same goes for Sunday.
Dress for success. Before you head to Berryville, make sure you’re dressed not only for the weather but to walk around the fairgrounds. Comfortable shoes are a must.
Bring a wagon. “We do provide little red wagons, but they do run out. Those little wagons that fold up from Costco — they’re actually way better because they have higher sides. They just hold more,” Eblen says.
Grab it. As you look around for décor items, European antiques, or furniture, don’t hesitate to pick up the pieces that catch your eye, whether it’s a midcentury-modern dresser or a vintage bar cart.
“If you see something that you want, you better buy [it] because everybody’s there. You’ve got thousands of people around you who are all there to buy,” Eblen says.
Once you purchase the item, it’s tagged and moved to a pickup area where you can bring your vehicle and have it loaded.
Snap a picture. “Take a picture of what you bought,” Eblen says. “It is surprising how people don’t actually know what they ended up buying.” When you go to the furniture pickup area, you’ll be able to show the loaders what you bought, and you won’t have to guess which white sideboard or pine table it is.
There’s more to enjoy than just shopping. There are food trucks, live bands, and drinks from Vanish Farmwoods Brewery and Walsh Family Wine. There’s also a fun play area for the kids.
Tickets are $20 per day and kids under 12 are free. General admission on Friday runs from 12:30 to 5:30 p.m. On Saturday and Sunday, the market is open 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. No pets are allowed. Clarke County Ruritan Fairgrounds: 890 W. Main St., Berryville, luckettsmarkets.com
Feature image courtesy Lucketts Markets
This story originally ran in our May 2024 issue. For more stories like this, subscribe to Northern Virginia Magazine.
