Kane County Flea Market

I can’t say enough about how great this place is. We stopped here for their Saturday show in October around 1pm and stayed until closing time. There are so many vendors it seems to never end. I really enjoyed all of the vendors who had refurbished furniture and turned old pieces into something new and fresh. There are vendors selling everything under the sun: old records, video games, jewelry, handmade baby clothes, vintage clothing, furniture, lamps… the list goes on and on.
Vendors are friendly and happy to share information about what they are selling. Everyone seemed happy to be there and no one seemed hard up to make a sale. The prices were reasonable and few people leaving the market empty handed. Here are a few things that we walked out with:
— An air plant
— Nintendo Games
— A lamp made out of a Jack Daniels Bottle
— An old window turned photo frame
— Shirleah Vegan Leather IPad case
— Refinished Vintage bookshelf
— Mardi Gras Costume
— Fall pumpkins/​gourds
There was a bit of a fall theme going on and I am excited to go back closer to Christmas time to see what kinds of holiday items they have.

Wow. This was one of the most impressive flea markets I’ve ever seen, although in some respects it was almost like an art fair or craft fair. There’s a 5 $ admission, with same day re-​entry permitted. The hours are 12 – 5 Saturday and 7 – 4 Sunday on the first weekend of the month, every month except Jan and Feb. It was very large, with all kinds of vendors, ranging from ones selling refinished or hand built furniture and high end crafts to tables full of junk. A lot of the stuff seemed over priced to me, but there were definitely a few treasures to be had. My husband and I went with a vague idea of getting some sort of picture frame for a project we’ve got planned, but we ended up leaving with a coffee table/​end table set, as well. We were allowed to drive our car onto the fairgrounds to park Some of the dealers are willing to negotiate, as well. It seemed like there were a lot of different options for food to suit a variety of tastes.
It was a pretty blustery October day, and it still seemed pretty crowded to me, but I think if the weather had been better, there would have been even more people there. Get there early!

My wife and I went Sunday, September 6^th. We got there at 2:00 PM. They advertise they are open until 4:00 PM. They should either not charge the full $ 5 admission fee at that time or tell the vendors they need to stay until 4:00. We paid $ 10.00 to get in and half the dealers were packing up and leaving at 2:30. We felt cheated. Not only did we have to pay to buy something (which we spent less than $ 10.00), but we had to walk around all the vendors moving their wares out to their trucks. We were very disappointed and will not go back.

Very well organized and plenty of free parking. There is a small food court area with hot dogs, tamales, corn, ice cream etc. If you purchase something big they’ll let you drive your vehicle into the market so you don’t have to lug it out to the parking lot. Some buildings are air conditioned but the ones that aren’t are sweat boxes and HOT. Most stuff is outdoors so bring a big hat and sunscreen. Prices are high IMO so be ready to bargain.

Really, this is as good as an American flea market gets. It would take at least 4 — 6 hours to really scour the entire site. Ridiculous amounts of household items from the 20^th century. This year a lot of upscaled furniture and also furniture made from reclaimed wood. If that isn’t enough… also lumber you can reclaim yourself and some old furniture looking for love. Many different types of interesting signage and items for your man cave oddly mixed in with knick knacks only a grandmother would love. Abundant typical festival food. My son scored a Lebron James high school jersey (obviously reproduction…) and a Led Zeplin album. How obscure is that?

Great Market. Lots of treasures to be found.
Be a responsible person and leave your pets at home and not in a hot car.
Someone did that last month. Your dog will die in the car. It is too hot for them.

Always a great time treasure hunting. It can be hit or miss.
The earlier you go in the day, the better, it can get busy especially during the summer months.
Would love for there to be more food vendors, or for them to be more spread out on the property.
Wish they wouldn’t allow vendors that are selling new cheap overseas merchandise (sunglasses, purses, etc)

I’ve been to the KC flea market 3 times; each time during a different season (although I have yet to attend the December market). I, personally, like the September/​October months best.
$ 5 gets you in the door (I believe you can go in and out if you need to without having to pay again).
There are always amazing lawn ornaments, flowers and seasonal décor right when you walk through the gate; so control yourself and try not to dump all of your money within the first 2 minutes. Chances are you’ll see something more than once, oftentimes cheaper.
I purchase wisely here. I bought an upcycled side table at the last show, a nice poster, lovely flower pot, some sports memorabilia, but mostly FOOD. Yes, as with most flea markets, there’s food everywhere. I’d say the bulk of my money was spent on edibles. I’m more apt to spend my money on consumables, rather than tchotchkes anyway, so that doesn’t bother me.
This is also a great spot of you’re a pet-​lover. Lots of sellers selling homemade dog treats, dog accessories, dog clothing and more.
You can definitely find unique things here, but you’ll also find a lot of items that fell off the Dollar Tree truck, reproductions, and just downright tacky décor. But, there is something for everyone.
Lots of ample parking. Definitely take a cart with wheels or something that can store all of your purchases.
Expect to spend 3 – 4 hours here minimum (that’s not stopping at every booth and looking at everything. If you do like to look at everything, you’ll be here open-​close.

So. Much. Stuff.
Vintage Polaroid camera cases? Yep, got it. From plants and lawn decorations, to shabby chic refinished furniture, junk tables of nuts and bolts, collectible toys, jewelry, homemade soaps, sunglasses, handbags, home décor, kitchenware, vintage Pyrex, homemade dog treats, BBQ sauce, jerky, and even a pushy nun selling organic baked goods… yes, Kane County Flea Market is the BEST flea market I’ve ever been to. And it’s only $ 5 for entry, with free parking.
TIPS:
1. Wear comfortable shoes. Flip flops don’t count. You will thank me when you don’t get gravel between your foot and sandal.
2. If you go early, give yourself extra time to park. You can also park in the Costco lot. A few minutes after opening, a long line of slow moving cars was lined up on Randall Road. If you get there mid-​hours, you won’t have to wait.
3. There’s a lot of stuff here. Stuff you will covet. Stuff you will want just so you can find out how good you can bargain. Relax. Breathe. Set some rules for yourself. My personal rules: 1) Don’t buy anything you can’t carry* and 2) Don’t buy anything you can’t immediately think of a good use for.
*That’s just a personal preference. If you buy a large piece of furniture, you can wait until the end of the day and drive your car onto the premises.
4. Bring a re-​useable tote bag. It will be easier to carry than a wrinkly Wal-​Mart bag which could stretch and rip.
5. Don’t be afraid to negotiate. Most items are priced reasonably ($ 5 for a 1950s picture frame), but some are not ($ 40 for a 1980s leotard *probably* with original crotch sweat).
6. Go with a friend who won’t complain about crowds/​weather/​carrying stuff. If it’s a hot day, it’s going to be hot here, because it is very crowded. Ericka A. was QUITE the trooper lugging around a giant metal parrot — there was no easy way to carry that thing!
I would definitely come back here — and I would definitely abide by my personal rules and tips. We spent about three hours here and I think we covered everything.

I really shouldn’t be allowed into these kinds of places. It’s sensory overload. I want to check out everything, which leads to wanting to buy everything. The sellers stack their tables full of things I don’t need for cheap and I’m just over here like, «SHUT UP AND TAKE MY MONEY!»
Angela P. took at look at her ten oldest bookmarked places and asked if anyone wanted to go to any of them. I quickly skimmed the list and would have loved to go to every single one, but time and money didn’t allow. Thus, I picked Kane County Flea Market because it seemed like the most reasonably priced and I’m always down for a fun flea market adventure.
The market takes place on the Kane County Fairgrounds. I was expecting it to be smaller, so seeing how large it was made the $ 5 admission not hurt so badly and took away some of the bitterness from having to wait in line for what seemed like forever to park. I thought we might only be there about 2 hours, but we entered at 12:30pm and I got into my car around 3:30pm.
There doesn’t seem to be any rhyme or reason as to how the vendors are set up. Everything is jumbled together. I kinda like it that way. It kept us busy and gave us a great workout by having to walk all over the place to try and see it all.
I was trying really hard not to spend frivolously and only left with what I had focused on searching for. I got two large tropical-​themed signs for $ 20 and about 10 ceramic and glass tiki mugs for another $ 20. We both stopped by one of the drink booths and got blended beverages. Mine was a root beer float frappé and it was fantastic!
BRING CASH… or don’t. Yeah, not bringing money might be safer.

For $ 5 admission, this market is worth it due to the large number of vendors and the variety. It’s a nice mix of junk, antiques, jewelry, refurbished items, and new arts/​crafts/​furniture. Plan to spend a couple of hours just to walk through it all.

Overall it’s fun to walk around and look at all the antiques and retro things for sale. 99% of the items are horrifically over priced, and the Sunday country breakfast is absolutely nothing to get excited about, and is by no means «country». It’s hash browns, bacon OR sausage, a tablespoon of rubbery looking eggs, and cheap white toast. All for $ 6. Harner’s in north aurora is a significantly better option. The fact that Charlie Foxes pizza (the best pizza in Chicagoland) sets up a tent around 11am-​noon is probably the best part, and no I’m not fat :) We go almost every time they’re here so I can’t complain too much. The people are all ultra friendly and it’s really a nice time, every time.

This past weekend the Flea Market was packed with vendors, if you are looking for vintage furniture they have a huge selection at a variety of prices. Looking forward to the June show. Go on Saturday afternoon, it is less crowded than Sunday.

It’s always a fun way to pass a lazy Sunday morning or afternoon. Lots to look at and plenty of people watching too. This place brings out the best and worst at times. You can find plenty of antiques here and some good deals if you know what you’re looking for. It tends to have better stuff than some other flea markets in the area.
There are some decent food vendors here too, though $ 3 is high for a roasted ear of corn.

Kane County Flea Market was okay. It was a hot but cloudy day when we were there. The flea market is enormous and if you are not shopper, I mean a REAL shopper, you will get board easily.
I went with my wife and daughter. My wife, Kerrie, likes to shop. My daughter Sarah has no off button. We arrived at around 12:30 and left around 4. I was done at around 1:00.
In addition to art, antiques, furniture, collectables, and general «junque», they have a variety of food tents and booths. Before knowing there were so many, I stopped at the first one I saw. For $ 3 I ordered a hamburger. When I saw her pull a wad of aluminum foil out from under the counter and handed it to me, my first thought was «you get what you pay for.» The good news is, I did not get sick. The bad news was the taste.
To be fair, there were other food booths that looked really good. I ran into one tent, only a few minutes after I forced the hamburger I bought down my throat, that fresh made their burgers, brats and dogs. There are typical festival foods like funnel cakes and fresh made doughnuts. There was also one really interesting place where they had homemade root beer, birch beer, cream soda, and a few others. The catch was, you had to buy your first drink in their souvenir mug for $ 8. Then, refills were $ 1 each. I’m too cheap to spend $ 8 for a soda.
All in all, it was fun having a day with Kerrie and Sarah. I’m not sure my first choice would have been to come here, but it was something different to do. Again, if you are a shopper, this could be your Mecca.

I started coming to kcfm in the seventies. I have lots of beautiful stuff from over the years, but this place just isn’t the same anymore. too many sock booths. I also remember when the fields were full of vendors selling cool things at good prices. now the fields aren’t even there, anymore. I hate the new building, and miss the way it used to be when it was lots of fun.

This one is hard to rate on account that there is a lot going on here and not all of it deserves a 2 or a 4 star rating. Therefore I’m going to give a few other ratings within this review.
The Flea Market itself — Granted it covers several aches and therefore a host of vendors come here. Ranging from antiques, unique novelties, yard art, furniture, food vendors and of course junk. I certainly like going about looking at all the items here and there is one common thread, which is most of it is overly priced. So much so, that there are many times I walk out of here with nothing in hand. So, for the Flea Market itself in terms of goods, I’d rate this aspect at 2 stars.
Getting a deal — Over time they certainly lost sight of the term flea market. There was a time when flea markets generally meant getting things at a good price. Sure, it may have some wear and tear, or needs a little fixing up, but you could still get it for a good price. Not here, as it seem many of the vendors love price gouging and using the words, «vintage,» to support their high prices. So, for ease of finding a deal here… it can be done, but it is elusive, thus I’d rate this aspect with a 1 star.
The Food — This is kind of middle of the road because you can get some good food at reasonable prices. But other stuff I find it a bit expensive and of poor quality. There is a guy over by the pig barn that has good sausage & burgers and for him, I’d give 4 stars… but for the rest, I’d maybe hand out 2 stars.
Grounds — Parking is expensive and can be crazy. On hot days this place can be a bit overbearing, but on mild days it is very nice. The restrooms are good. The general cleanliness is good… you see the occasional overflowing garbage can, but they seem to keep on top of this in general. Thus, I’d give this aspect 3 stars.
People Gawking & Something To Do — Now, for this category, here is where the Kane County Flea Market shines. As several others have posted, we do try to make it out here twice a year. In the Spring and the October show. This event generally draws big crowd which always invites a host of characters. So, if your into people watching, then you will not be disappointed. Some of the vendors here are perhaps some of the more colorful. Thus, if your looking for something to do and like people watching, while strolling about looking at rows and rows of stuff /​junk, then this is the place for you. On this aspect, this is a strong 5 star winner.
Have Fun Gawking.

I love the Kane County Flea Market! We typically go twice a year and they are actually held year round, the first full weekend of each month.
They have an excellent variety vendors so you get a good mix of antiques, garage-​sale types, crafts, jewelry, all kinds of collectibles, yard art/​décor & plants. They also have plenty of food vendors and places you can actually sit down to take a rest. Oh, and not all the restrooms are port-​a-​potties! Yes, if you look around you will find ACTUAL restrooms — though they are still the fairground variety, nothing fancy but much better than the portable kind.
This place is HUGE! Come check it out… even if you aren’t looking for anything in particular it’s still fun to just look around.

There was a time that this was one of the BEST in the Midwest, but like Sandwich is only a shadow of what it once was. I wouldn’t drive far to get here anymore, LIKE Sandwich. I grew up in the Fox Valley and this used to be a a bunch of station wagons pulled in backwards with their doors open on Randall Road, the good old days.
Stay local if you can, this isn’t special anymore, and if you want to drive do a Flea Market weekend go OUT of Illinois, Wisconsin or Indiana.
It doesn’t really matter whose fault it is, but we would all have to accept a little of the blame for letting them originally sell all those socks and dog bones, but I wouldn’t want that ex-​legacy on my record, sort of like having a last name like Bush or Cheney.
So sad.
STILL interesting on a nice day and there are a few long time reputable dealers left. Can be very dusty and hot so dress accordingly. Keep your eyes open and your cash close as this is not the fun Kane County Fairgrounds you remember.
There is a rare drinking fountain in the main building near the bathrooms. The food was never good here and hasn’t changed. Coffee and pie in the main building would be safe.
Everything sold out of a booth is a palm oil, salt or sugar bomb, just say no.
Everything Changes, Onward.

Every time I come here I find amazing treasures. Obviously there is better selection during the warmer months, but you can go all year round (it’s open the first weekend of every month). Everything, and I mean everything can be had here if you just take the time to look.
I am warning you now, if you come here with a wallet full of cash and anything larger than a Honda Civic, you are in for a boatload of trouble my friend. This place is highly seductive, alluring and virtually impossible to resist. However, this is not the place for you if you are impatient, easily distracted, or you only deal with items that are hermetically sealed and untouched by human hands. 9 times out of 10 this is stuff that has been recently dragged from a half century of storage in the basement, only to be displayed on a dusty table on an unpaved, gravel-​strewn lot.
Another tip — dont go with the expectation that you will find an 18^th century table, worth $ 100,000 for $ 50. I’m not saying you wont — anything is possible here — but my advice is to buy it if you love it and it brings you joy. Thats what this place is all about. Screw Disneyland — THIS is the happiest place on earth to me!