Forty and Eight Flea Market

There are two flea markets at this location, the ones held just about every weekend (mojosales) and this one that’s put on by veterans that only runs from May-​September once a month on certain Sundays. These once-​a-​month summer ones are HUGE and all the sellers are more collectible/​antique oriented. Atmosphere is geared toward the older crowd (being run by veterans), and a friendlier vibe than the flea market in Sebastopol. Prices are higher for memorabilia/​collectibles. Still some really good deals on common/​household stuff. Sellers at this market come from the whole Bay Area not just locals. Small snack stand supports local nursing education but otherwise no food vendors onsite. 7-​Eleven across the street is there for refreshments and ATM. Restrooms maybe? BEWARE of sharp loose objects and knives, hold onto the kids. Good flea market all-​around and be sure to give yourself time to browse. Parking lot is smaller than it looks! Don’t double-​park or block others in!

I have to say im new at being a vender this year all the flea markets i enjoy this people are amazing crowd is so diversified make selling more exciting i look forward to one sunday a mo with this group

Forty and Eight is my favorite flea market.
I live in Petaluma. Santa Rosa is convenient and in the summer this flea market is great. It’s a mix between professional junk sellers and folks just clearing out their garages.
Sometimes I great GREAT bargains.
It’s always fun. I try to get there early before the sun gets too hot.
Very notable is at 8am there is an announcement that «the bar is now open»
It must be the veterans who enjoy an eye opening bloody Mary.

Every time I go here, I find echoes of my long lost childhood, and vague memories of the parlour in Gramma’s old ‘brownstone’ on Church Street in the City, at this wonderful flea market.
If you’re an old Santa Clara Valley native: this is like the beloved DeAnza Flea Market of the 60s & 70s.
The only thing «commercial» is the food aisle and even that’s made a little bit special with chairs and umbrellas provided for your comfort.
The ‘just right’ amount of sellers means even at a meander you can walk it comfortably in 90 minutes and have visited every aisle.
I barter gently and successfully for the most awesome items ! I find most prices to be reasonable and everyone friendly and happy to discuss their wares.
My oldest find of date was from the 1870s. Lots of neat old tools, kitchen utensils, paper ephemera, lamps, small furniture, records.
This is my happy place on Sundays. I hope it doesn’t change a bit !

NOTE: This flea is not to be confused with the lesser-​attended flea market (of another name) that occupies this space more frequently and with a smaller turnout.
Asked for a bag here once and was told that such things had been banned… But you can buy this nice rusty iron fence post with flaking lead paint, no problem.
Selection wise, Forty and 8 are decently rustic and locally attended. The events have a good turnout — an older, more antique oriented crowd, generally. There’s something of a carnival atmosphere with snacks, refreshments, announcements over the PA, that sort of thing.
Something to be said about the regular antique and vintage sellers, though. These ‘dealer’ types can be a little brusque, less interested in haggling and I get the feeling some of this same stuff was bought on the same flea circuit and is now being resold at collectible at eBay prices. Fair enough, but keep in mind that old speaker the guy claims works great is just as likely to not work when you get it home and there’s no returns in swap-​meet-​land, obviously.

I like the 40 and 8 Flea Market as I’m a seller there since 2009. I make hand crafted items and do pretty well. My prices are a third of regular market sales for my items. I keep the sales low and try for volume. There are vintage vendors there but their prices are ridiculous and I would never buy anything from them. I try and be friendly and smile at my customers and talk with people even if no sales. That what the flea market is all about. Sometime I do well, sometimes I don’t. But I like that my site fee goes to pay 15 scholarships for the SRJC Nurses Training Program. This is what the Vets do with the site sales over the 5 months they run the 40 and 8 Flea Mkt. You can find some really good buys — you have to come every month. 2014 date of the Markets are 5/​4, 6/​15, 7/​13, 8/​17, ⁹⁄₇. They are not the 1^st, 2^nd, or 3^rd set Sunday of any month. It’s pretty random. So jot these dates down and come out and see us.
Dandy Doll Creations

It’s not huge and the deals aren’t amazing, but it’s way better than the Sebastopol Flea Market so 3.5 stars I shall give them (round up to 4 to be nice…)
I found a sweet 60’s floral trunk here for 10 dollars and a awesome Mary Poppins spoon my mom has wanted since she was a a kid.
Also I love that they have food here. I got a crêpe while the boyfriend got a burrito. Which was nasty and I would say avoid the taco truck. Crêpe truck is where it’s at!
On the lame side people were selling Pyrex (what I try and hunt down) for double digit numbers. Not cool! It’s a flea market NOT an antique store…
I plan on visiting this flea market often since it’s a short drive down the freeway and has more vendors then the Sebastopol one.

This flea market happens at the Veteran’s Memorial Building in Santa Rosa one Sunday each month from May to Sept. Check out our comprehensive list of all of the flea markets in the Bay Area at