Eugene is a city known for many things –– and thrifting is one of them. With resellers throughout town and Facebook Marketplace at their fingertips, thrifters may already have their methods of acquiring secondhand furniture, trinkets and specialty goods.
There is another option, though. The Piccadilly Flea Market is an open-air market held at the Lane County Fairgrounds. People of the community can sell whatever they want, from homemade jewelry and art to vintage collectibles. The flea market is like a giant garage sale free-for-all, where first-come-first-serve rules apply and customers can find unique goods at low prices.
Held on select Sundays throughout the year, the market days are hectic and exciting. With 150-200 tables on any given market day, customers can seek whatever their heart desires.
Vintage Halloween decorations, plants, baseball cards, records, crystals, pins and other bits and bobs were among the selection offered Sunday, Oct. 6. Sellers filled their tables with homemade crochet projects and household items as the market buzzed with community conversation.
The flea market, started in 1970 by Rosemary Major, is an honored tradition of the Eugene community. Founded the same year as the Saturday Market and the Oregon Country Fair, Major aimed to create a community event where people could sell whatever they wanted to with less restrictions than the other markets.
This lack of guidelines provides the Piccadilly Flea Market with diverse choices for shoppers. The market is filled with tables of every kind. Vendors decorate their tables however they wish and sell whatever they want to, providing customers with an unpredictable experience, with new options every time.
Regular tickets to the market, held from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. are $1.50. However, the market also offers an “early bird” option, where customers can pay $7.50 to get in at 8 a.m. to get the first pick of the goods.
As Facebook Marketplace and Depop rise in popularity, secondhand shopping has never been more convenient. However, the Piccadilly Flea Market provides an opportunity for locals to come together in person and participate in the reselling and trading community.
At the market, many vendors have been coming consistently for years. According to Gwen Free, current owner of the market, vendors have created ”neighborhoods” within the market. These are small communities of sellers that convene every market day and spend time together.
“I am passionate about Eugene. I love this place so much. I am all about local, I am all about our resale culture. It’s down to the cars we drive and the clothes we wear and the jewelry I find,” Free said. “It’s such a big part of Eugene and the market gives the local community a place to celebrate that.”
The market is welcoming to all, customers and vendors alike. A celebrated local tradition for the last 54 years, the market is filled with whimsical items and excited residents who are ready to celebrate the art of secondhand shopping and trade.
For more information and specific market dates, visit their website piccadillyflea.com.
