ARKANSAS ECLECTIC VENDORS MARKET
8 a.m.-5 p.m. Arkansas State Fairgrounds. $4.
If you’re the kind of person who doesn’t understand why some of us would spend time digging through dusty old stacks and piles and shelves full of weird old stuff looking for a particular type of weird old thing (or a random weird old thing that you never knew you needed), then just move along.
Everyone else — all you stamp collectors, vintage buffs, vinyl freaks, rare book obsessives, amateur numismatists, comic book fiends and collectors of all stripes — y’all might want to check out the Arkansas Eclectic Vendors Market. Its Facebook page describes the two-day event in rhetorical fashion: “Where can you find jewelry, books, furniture, clothing, collectibles, plants, household items and more all in one place with great prices?”
The great thing about flea markets and such is that you just never know what you’ll find. A dear friend and former roommate of mine used to have this cool thing that her mom bought at a flea market back in the ’80s. It was a human skull. No kidding. This thing was the real deal right down to the missing teeth and cracks and some weird burn marks on the frontal and parietal bones. Oh, and did I mention that she didn’t realize at the time that she was buying a human skull? Yeah, she bought an antique infant casket that was made in the 19th century and when she got home and opened it, the skull was inside.
So, I’m not saying that you’ll find an infant casket with a human skull inside it this weekend, but who knows? You’ll probably find something cool.