On August 25, Niles will hold its 60th Antique Faire and Flea Market. The idea came from community member Dana Jones back in the ’60s, and she started organizing the event from her drug store at 37573 Niles Boulevard.
“I can’t guarantee anything will sell. But if you don’t have it here, it won’t sell,” says Keith Elrod, who has been coordinating the Faire for the past 16 years. “Because we have so many people who come into Niles, and they all have different needs, wants, dreams and ideas.” Fittingly, Elrod’s shop, Keith’s Collectibles and Books, is at the very same address the Faire’s founder worked out of all those years ago.
Hosted by Niles Main Street Association, the Faire is one of the last big outdoor events of the summer in the Bay Area, bringing in a mix of food and shopping vendors while also drawing in business to Niles’ own shops and eateries. (Niles already has nearly a dozen antique stores of its own.) Those who arrive early can stop by the pancake breakfast, which starts at 5am, and get a hearty meal before they start shopping for collectibles, furniture, jewelry, knick-knacks, and many other quirky and unexpected things.
“I’ve always said this,” remarks Elrod. “It’s just a mixture of items that we have out there. We have stuff that caters to, I would say, anyone that wants to come in. The old, the new, the different, the unique items, the one of a kind, and that’s how we’ve always done with this event.”
Officially, the event takes place on Sunday, but locals start holding yard sales on Saturday, expanding the event beyond the vendors and shops along Main Street. For buyers, an opportunity for back-to-school shopping, finding Halloween decorations, and even getting a head start on holiday gifts. For businesses, the Faire can be their best day of the whole year. It’s also a fundraising day for the Boy Scouts, who are overseeing the event parking at Nursery Avenue.
Elrod remembers how a few years ago a questionnaire asked community members to rate events in Niles: Overwhelmingly the Antique Faire was number one. “There’s [other fairs] that started at the same time,” Elrod says, “But we’re still going where others are not.” Although changes have come to the Historical District, such as new housing being built near Highway 84, cherished events like the Antique Faire have staying power because there’s something for everyone.
“I love the feeling at the end of the day when the vendors on the street come by and thank me,” says Elrod. “The food vendors say, ‘Hey, we sold out again!’ But the best part of it is they’ll tell me, ‘We’ll see you next year!’”
Niles Antique Faire and Flea Market
Sunday, Aug 25
6am – 4pm
Niles Blvd., Fremont
(510) 857-6512
Parking: $10
