Downtown Tailgate Flea Market keeps hopping with growth and shoppers

The Downtown Tailgate Flea Market drew thousands of shoppers downtown Sunday to peruse wares on display.

The crowd was the largest the bi-annual event had seen to date, said Marti Hartle, one of the event's organizers.

She also said good weather was invaluable.

"I got out here at 4 a.m., and it didn't look promising," she said. "It didn't stop sprinkling until an hour and a half before we opened."

She said the goal of each successive Tailgate Flea Market is to expand on the previous event, and so far they're 3-for-3.

Mindy and Kyle Held of Jackson check out a "vase filler" Sunday at the Downtown Tailgate Flea Market in Cape Girardeau.Fred Lynch

"The first year, we had 19 vendors," she said. "And last fall, we had 40 vendors and about 500 people."

But this year, the event had 104 vendors registered -- enough to fill two parking lots on both ends of Main Street.

"It's been fun to see the heads bobbing up and down coming down the street," Hartle said. "I think it's been a fantastic turnout."

All that foot traffic is more than good for just the flea market, she said. It's good for downtown in general.

"Everything we do is about advertising for our fellow neighbors and merchants," she said.

John Michael Veach performs a "Concert on the Corner" on Sunday at Broadway and Main Street during the Downtown Tailgate Flea Market in Cape Girardeau.Fred Lynch

It was good for curious shoppers as well. After all, where else are you going to find a hand-carved statue of a coyote in a zoot suit for 25 cents? Or antique windowglass? Or jewelry made of used guitar strings?

Some of the shoppers had come from surrounding towns. Patton, Missouri, couple Mike and Amber Vance, for instance, came in search of gifts.

"Mostly clothes for my kids," Mike said. "And presents for Mother's Day."

Vendors reported higher-than-expected sales.

"I was impressed with [how little] effort it took to get everything out there, considering it being gone as soon as it was," said vendor Ray Nabors. "If you came looking to sell some stuff, this is definitely the place to be."

Jacob Mahnke of Cape Girardeau admires a knight statue Sunday at the Downtown Tailgate Flea Market in Cape Girardeau.Fred Lynch

The next Tailgate Flea Market will be in early October. The Downtown Merchant Group in charge of organizing it already is booking reservations for vendors.

"We're trying to sign up 50 or more people to be vendors by the end of the day," Hartle said. "We're crossing our fingers."

tgraef@semissourian.com

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