Vermont's 'Oldest Flea Market' Doubles As A Farmer's Market Blending Vintage Finds And Food Vendors

It's easy to think of "Newhart" and Newfane, Vermont. The tiny shire town of about 1,800 people 12 miles north of Brattleboro — an artsy Vermont town with stunning foliage — looks every bit the part played by rural Vermont in the popular 1980s sitcom. That's particularly true of the town center, which wraps a central common with 19th-century buildings that look plucked straight out of a postcard. The literal centerpiece is the 1825 Windham County Court House, a beauty of traditional New England architecture. It's joined by the 1832 Gothic Revival Union Hall (now hosting concerts, music nights, and other events), the 1839 First Congregational Church, the 1832 Four Columns Inn, and other buildings dating back to 1787. All make Newfane a hidden gem in the rolling hills of Vermont.

For many visitors, however, the main reason to take a trip to Newfane is to peruse the antiques, arts and crafts, culinary treats, and more at the weekly Sunday Newfane Flea and Farmer's Market that runs 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. from Memorial Day weekend to October 30. More than 100 vendors make an appearance during the season, selling — if not giving away — everything from crochet animals, sports gear, and musical instruments to tools and hardware, ceramics, and artwork of almost every kind. Vintage goods are a particular specialty and might include old snow shoes, coins, bicycles, books, toys, and appliances. Indeed, it's the never-know-what-you-might-find element that makes the market so appealing. Find more vintage fun 22 miles up the road in the quaint village dubbed Vermont's "antique capital."

In Vermont, flea and farmer's markets populate almost every settled corner of the state, being especially active in the summertime. Newfane Flea and Farmer's Market's claim to fame is that it's been around the longest. Since 1967, it's been serving the local community and earning a lot of flea cred along the way, including performances by Doc Watson and Hank Williams Jr. It also remains a family-run operation. In fact, its current manager, Jesse Holden, is the great-grandson of the market's originator — he formally received the torch in 2023 from his uncle, who'd been running it for decades. The market also takes place on their family land, 1 mile up the road from Newfane's town center. 

Tradition also plays in the food and drink on tap at the market, starting with the lemonade stand and veggie curry butternut squash hand pies. Grazing continues with "hangover tots" with sausage and gravy, sausage rolls, fresh bread, and, of course, maple syrup. The farmer's market also supplies home kitchens with fresh gourmet mushrooms, squash, peaches, kale, garlic, and so much more. It's no surprise, then, that the Newfane Flea Market's biggest weekend is during the annual Newfane Heritage Festival that fills the town center each October, including with contenders for the best apple pies.