By Echo Menges
The Rutledge Flea Market officially opened for business for the 2024 season on Friday and Saturday, April 12 and 13.
According to the market owners, Saturday’s crowd hosted one of the best crowds of any market weekend they’ve had over the last five years.
Many of the market’s 700 vendor spaces were full of goods keeping with the traditions of what the market is known for – guns, gun parts, ammo, and dogs. The market also featured an assortment of food, drink, and dessert options, chickens, rusty treasures, hand-crafted keepsakes, furniture, tools, and more.
The connecting streets of the market were full of people on foot, riding bikes, side-by-sides, and golf carts from vendor to vendor carrying their finds with them.
Market vendors represented an array of sellers from all over the region and beyond.
This year, vendors were welcomed to a newly built camping area bathroom building, and four new cabins were made available to rent.
Sunny warm weather contributed greatly to the high traffic at the Rutledge Flea Market and added to the traffic at nearby locations including the Rutledge School rummage sale and at Zimmerman’s Store. The nearby Colony Flea Market and Colony Store also welcomed visitors eager to enjoy the sunshine.
