Canton Tips and Bargains

We made it home with all our loot today. If you take a truck, you might as well fill it up! I found Ryan a chiminea for the backyard. He's been talking about getting one and this was a bargain at $30. I found a huge pot that is tilted forward for the front yard. I'll plant flowers in it in the spring so it looks like it's pouring out. The huge industrial cart on the right is also mine. My neighbor has one to keep pillows and blankets in which looks super cool in her living room. I may have gotten carried away with this purchase but I can always fix it up and sell it. 

Here are some other items I found. The St Thomas, the green ceramic artichoke-looking piece, and the large grain sack all came from Paul Michael. Everything else was from the Flea Market. I've been looking for old music sheets and found 2 books of those. One booth had glass door knobs (which I had been searching for) and a new latch for my kitchen door (really hard to find and this one was a dollar). There's an Etsy store called A Wing and A Prayer that had a huge booth inside the Arbor. I picked up a couple of her tags. I have a couple of more items I'll post later on.

TIPS FOR CANTON:

1. Make a list of wants / needs. My sister had a great one so she was able to zone in on certain items. It can be really overwhelming and it's hard to remember what you're looking for once you see everything.

2. Figure out which days will work best for you. Thursdays will have the best selections, Saturdays are the busiest, Sundays you'll get the best bargains (but the selection might not be as good).

3. Get there EARLY. We arrived a little before 8 am so our parking spot was perfect. Our waitress from the night before told us about the main south entrance which isn't as crowded. If you're heading south down Highway 19, turn Right at the light. You'll go through the downtown square then the entrance will be on your right. All parking is $5. Our spot was right next to the restrooms and a cart rental place.

4. Rent a stroller (it's the metal rectangular type with 4 wheels) or scooter! The stroller is only $5 for the day. They make you pay a $25 deposit so if you don't return it by 5:45 you own it. The scooters were $6 an hour. Get a stroller when you first get there b/c they will rent all of them (but we did go the busiest weekend). Since our parking was so close, we were able to drop off our purchases throughout the day.

5. Eat lunch early. The lines were insane! There are plenty of bathrooms. The bathroom lines by the pavilions were a lot longer. The south bathroom never had a line and I remember seeing a changing table in the Civic Center bathroom.

6. Booths that are in the pavilions are more expensive. If you're looking for a deal stay in the field area. Don't forget you can bargain with the vendors in the field. I didn't pay asking price for anything out there. Love that ;)

7. There are a lot of imported items in the pavilions (sunglasses, cheap jewelry, etc) BUT also really nice cow skin rugs, antiques, home decor. We didn't spend too much time in there because it was SO crowded.

8. Not much furniture. I thought all the prices were high on those pieces. I can find better ones at home. 

9. The "field" has paved roads through the entire area. If you find a big piece, the vendor will give you a red tag or business card (with their row and booth number) so you can drive to their booth to pick up the item. I would not drive in there until 4 or later otherwise you'll never get the people to move out of your way. I made Melissa drive through the mess :)

10. Downtown Canton has quite a few antique shops too. There's one called The Cotton Shed that's worth a look. We ate at a good Italian Restaurant downtown called Val's. Ask any local and they'll point you in the right direction.

11. I found my pots on Highway 19 across from Trade Days. If you pay them cash, they don't charge you tax. They open early so we stopped by there before we left town. They loaded and tied the items in the back of the truck. No heavy lifting for us ladies ;)

12. Paul Michael has extended hours during Trade Days. They didn't close until 9pm. We went twice. The first night was overflowing with people. The next day was better around 9:30 am. They were having 50% off Halloween. I think my neighbor told me in July they have 30% off the whole store.

13. BRING CASH!!! I brought a set amount and stuck to it. The vendors in the fields only take cash. There are ATM machines BUT most of them were out of money. 

14. We did the whole thing in one day. Our feet were throbbing by the time we were done but it was worth it. We're already talking about next time we go! Has anyone gone to the one in Canton, Mississippi? I read it's only twice a year and has more art. 

15. Stay local if possible. We stayed at Quality Inn which included a continental breakfast. Originally we were going to stay in Sulpher Springs b/c the rooms in Canton were booked. Well, my mom called and was able to snag a room in Canton. It's best to call if you can't find one online. They may have a cancelation. 

I think I covered it! Ha! Email me or write a comment if you have any questions.