An eclectic mix available at Vintage Fair 2022
The village of Walnut Creek will be ready to greet visitors who want to put the three R’s to good use on Saturday, June 11.
Anyone interested in looking to find just the right item to reclaim, repurpose and reuse will want to make sure to stop in to the village’s annual Vintage Fair from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m., where one person’s trash could become the next person’s treasure. Sponsored by the Walnut Creek Business Association, Vintage Fair will be held at 3585 state Route 39 in the field between Mast Farm Service and Walnut Creek Furniture.
“Vintage Fair is an eclectic mix of vendors ranging in repurposed furniture and décor, handmade jewelry, soaps and lotions, antiques, retro home goods, barn salvage and more,” said Amy Yoder, both a member of the Vintage Fair Planning Committee and a board member of the Walnut Creek Business Association. “You never know what you are going to find, and no one leaves empty handed. If you love treasure hunting and enjoy filling your spaces with unique and one-of-a-kind items, then Vintage Fair is for you.”
The first Vintage Fair was held in 2014, Yoder said. Because of the event’s size, she said planning for the next year begins almost immediately after Vintage Fair ends.
“We have a wrap-up meeting to talk about what went well and what we’d like to change for the following year. By mid-fall we like to have contracts ready for vendors, and then in January, we start meeting monthly until June,” Yoder said. “The event was born through a brainstorming session about what events we could add to Walnut Creek, Ohio that would be a reflection of who we are and what folks would enjoy.”
Eight years ago when Vintage Fair was first established, Walnut Creek Business Association board members knew repurposing and thrifting was becoming more and more popular across the country, especially with the popularity of television shows such as “American Pickers,” “Antiques Roadshow,” “Storage Wars” and “Pawn Stars.”
“We decided as a board to begin the event because we thought it was something that visitors and local residents would enjoy,” Yoder said. “Repurposing and thrifting were becoming popular at the time, and we thought that fit in well with our local culture. Our goal as the Walnut Creek Business Association is to create events that are a representation of who we are. The Vintage Fair fits the bill and has become a tradition in the Walnut Creek community. We see familiar faces attending each year. The locals like to come out early to do their shopping, and we also see visitors to the area who make a point to visit Walnut Creek during Vintage Fair.”
Hundreds of items will be on the market for shoppers at Vintage Fair and expect to see some things that aren’t everyday garage sale finds.
“Visitors can expect to see some fantastic artwork,” Yoder said. “From hand-lettered signs to painted slates, the creativity of the vendors is amazing.
“Visitors can also expect to see some interesting items that they don’t know what they were used for in a past life. Some of my personal favorites are the barn salvage items — things like rusty gears and old farming equipment that can be repurposed into décor. You might see potting benches made from repurposed barnwood, cupboards made from old windows and shelving made of pipe and live edge wood.”
No need to worry if shopping works up your appetite either. In addition to treasure hunting, Yoder said there will be food trucks onsite. Tables and chairs will be set up throughout the property so visitors can take a break from shopping to enjoy their breakfast and lunch.
For more information on Vintage Fair and other events happening in Walnut Creek, go to www.CometoWalnutCreekOhio.com.