I think a lot of people forget that there are events going on at the Indiana State Fairgrounds all year long, not just during the state fair. Whenever I’m looking for something cheap or free to do on the weekend, one of the places I check is the event calendar on the State Fairground’s website.
This month alone, there’s a fly fishing show, a train expo, an RV show, a gun & knife show, a reptile show, the Indianapolis Woodworking Show, the Stewarts Indiana Flea Market, a U.S. Coin-Operated Game Auction, the 32nd Annual Greater Indianapolis Garage Sale, the Indianapolis Home Show, the Hoosier Racers Swap Meet, and the Indiana Judges Cup Gymnastics. With that many events, there should be something for just about everyone.
From my personal experience, I can say that the free Stewart’s Indiana Flea Market is definitely worth attending if you enjoy garage sales, flea markets, or bargain hunting in general. For free events, you do still have to pay $3 for parking if you drive, however. Also of interest, is the free U.S. Coin-Operated Game Auction, which is the same weekend as the Stewart’s show. This auction is where you’ll find pinball machines, arcade games, pool tables, vending machines, and every other coin-operated machine you can think of.
If you’re interesting in buying a few favorite machines for your game room or if you always wanted to start a vending business, this auction is a great place to start. The machines go quite cheap as you’re bidding against dealers for the most part, however, many of these machines are straight off a route, meaning they may be in need of minor or major repairs. Make sure you play or test any machines before bidding on them and don’t buy anything unless you have the technical ability to repair it yourself or can afford to pay someone to repair it for you. It also doesn’t hurt to come prepared if you think you might buy something, as these machines weigh 300-400 pounds each and are difficult to transport. You’ll need a furniture dolly, a truck, and a buddy to help you lift.
For people like myself who go through garage sale withdraw during the winter, the 32nd Annual Greater Indianapolis Garage Sale is a godsend. Although, to be honest, you see a lot of the same dealers at this event that you’ll see at the Stewart’s show, so it’s really less of a garage sale and more of a flea market, in my opinion.
Some skeptics will say that you can’t find a real bargain at a flea market because of all the dealers there who know what things are worth, but the truth is that antique and collectible dealers can’t be an expert on everything, so they don’t always know what they have. I remember one trip to the Stewart’s show, my parents bought me an old Green Hornet pez dispenser for $1. I eventually popped it on Ebay and it sold for $185. The dealer had no idea it was worth anything and neither did the hundreds of people that walked through his booth that day. Heck, even my parents had no idea, they just knew it was old and that I had a small collection of pez dispensers back then, so they bought it for me on a whim and brought it home. I’ve found plenty of other great deals at these events over the years as well, so keep your eyes open and do a little research on Ebay beforehand to get an idea of how much you should pay for whatever it is you’re looking for.
Anyway, getting back to the original point of this post, if you’re searching websites looking for something to do some weekend this winter, don’t forget to pay a visit to the State Fairground’s event calendar to see what’s going on there.