Down to the Wire
Wednesday, September 6, 2006
Mary Helmer knows she’ll be busy this week. With the Fifth Annual Great American Flea Market set to open at 7 a.m. Saturday, there remains plenty to get done. Most important is signing up vendors who choose to wait until the final 3 1/2 days to secure their spots.
“We’re right on track,” Helmer said of registrations.
Last year, the market brought in 127 vendors. By the end of the day Friday, 110 had signed up for this year’s market. Helmer, executive director of Emporia Main Street, which sponsors the flea market, expects 17 or more will come in before noon Friday, when she plans to close the books. So far this year, Helmer has reservations from people selling antiques, food and other unique items.
Treasure seekers will find the majority of the antique vendors grouped in the 300 block of Commercial Street. Other antique vendors will be spread along Commercial Street.
“We’ll have two kinds of barbecue, Mexican, funnel cakes, Salvadoran,” said Helmer, ticking off food choices. And plan to expect all-American fare of hot dogs and hamburgers, too.
Other highlights include a booth featuring airbrushed tattoos and “Everything Elvis,” which features merchandise connected to The King from 1956 to 2006.
“We have quite a few from out-of-town,” Helmer said of the vendors.
They include vendors from Bolivar, Mo., and Galena, Americus and Hillsboro in Kansas.
Helmer also hopes the market will draw shoppers from all over. Unlike last year when the market was the biggest draw in town, this year’s market coincides with Emporia State University’s home-opener football game. Kick-off is at 1 p.m.
“We’re going to put stuffers in the ESU students’ boxes,” Helmer said. “We’re hoping they’ll let their folks know it’s going on.”
There should be plenty of time for students and parents to shop the flea market before heading to the game, she added.
The flea market has grown steadily since its debut five years ago. Although Main Street focuses on the market itself, the organization enjoys working with other groups to add events. In 2004, the Emporia Arts Council decided to host its annual Chalk Fest in conjunction with the Flea Market. That continues this year.
Last year, a car show was added to the Flea Market. It returns this year.
“We do a lot of the preliminary stuff for the car show,” Helmer said of Main Street, “but the Flatland Cruisers run it.”
That cooperation leads to success, she said.
“We’d like to have one more new thing next year,” Helmer said. “If we can get another group to partner with us.”
For now, she’s just focused on getting through the next few days.
“Friday night is crazy,” said Helmer. “But we’ve got a great group of volunteers that come out to help us.”
As soon as registrations close, Helmer, Main Street staff and volunteers have to print vendor maps and chalk the spaces on the pavement of Commercial Street from Third for Fourth avenues then on north to Eighth Avenue.
“We wised up last year,” Helmer recalled, “and got the chalker from the recreation center.”
Using the same equipment on wheels that crews use to chalk lines on baseball and softball diamonds is a real improvement from drawing 127 spaces by hand with sidewalk chalk.
“Flea Market is a labor-intensive event,” Helmer said, then paused.
“OK, it’s a real labor-intensive event.”
Everything will be done by 5 a.m. Friday, the earliest that vendors can set up their booths. The street can’t be closed overnight because it’s a state highway. Traffic will be detoured around the area until 5 p.m. Saturday, when it will reopen.