Toni Tumbarello of Lisle enjoys finding bargains and figured visiting the Kane County Flea Market in St. Charles on Saturday was a good place to start.
“I love this,” she said. “I’ve been coming here since I was a small girl. I’m a frequent flyer. It’s fun and you meet interesting people. You find things you didn’t even know you wanted, but now you do. It’s just fun.”
The flea market, a two-day event held once a month at the Kane County Fairgrounds, opened for the season last month.
The event typically draws thousands of shoppers and features hundreds of vendors, organizers said.
Lori Robinson of St. Charles, organizer and owner of the Kane County Flea Market, said the 57-year-old event offers goods both inside and outside at the fairgrounds.
“Things can be kind of weather dependent but we have items inside and outside under shelters,” she said. “We have vendors here from around the country, especially the Midwest, but I’d say at least 10 states.”
Popular products, she said, include “food, antiques and holiday items.”
“There are crafts here too, produce, and also we’re having a guy from Michigan who offers plants and flowers and sells a lot of trees,” Robinson said. “One of the newer trends we see people looking for includes handmade items and we also have food trucks.”
Tumbarello said she found some things from a pet shop vendor as well as baked goods “and stuff I really don’t need but I wanted anyway.”
Shoppers look at items for sale at a vendor at the Kane County Flea Market Saturday at the Kane County Fairgrounds in St. Charles. (David Sharos / For The Beacon-News)
“Someone else’s junk is still another’s treasure,” she said, “but we love it.”
Tumbarello’s daughter Alex Tumbarello said she, like her mother, “has the bug every now and then” to get out to the flea market.
“I got some cookies but she’s got the eye for everything and knows about the prices,” she said about her mom. “It’s probably not a good thing that this habit is being passed on – you should see the house.”
Meredith Park of Inverness said she came to the flea market Saturday to shop for others.
“I work as an interior designer and so I come for my clients,” she said. “I have a list and go looking for things. I’ve been doing this for 12 years. I come to this venue rather than some others because there are a handful of really great vendors.”
She said she keys “in on people who carry vintage glassware and we’re looking for lamps today.”
Park added she also does some shopping for herself at the flea market.
“Occasionally, I will buy a small piece of furniture that has to be made over and then I’ll get it done. I’ll also shop for some unique accessories that go in my showroom and then get used when I finish a construction job to style the house,” she said.
Dan Rivard of Pontiac picked up a few items at the Kane County Flea Market Saturday afternoon. The two-day event, held once a month, typically draws thousands of shoppers to the Kane County Fairgrounds in St. Charles. (David Sharos / For The Beacon-News)
Gary Batty of North Aurora said he has visited the market several times and on Saturday bought an Eagle Rare Bourbon sign.
“You don’t find these in many places. This is going into the man cave,” he said. “For me, this is just hanging out and getting some steps in.”
Kristin Civitanova of Downers Grove said she was looking for garden items Saturday.
“We did great. I have a beautiful flower arrangement and a planter,” she said. “I’ve been here about two hours. This year I came with my sisters and they like to look around. I came here a few years ago with my husband and kids and they like to get in and out. But I think this is fantastic. You couldn’t ask for a better day.”
David Sharos is a freelance reporter for The Beacon-News.
