Crafty Flea Market: Seventh event Saturday at Lake Antoine

JOSH CHADD, OWNER of Armored with Truth, along with his wife, Sarah, will be among the many vendors at the seventh Crafty Flea Market on Saturday. Chadd will sell burned leather goods and fantasy/sci-fi books out of site 57 at Lake Antoine Park. (Jennifer Flynn/Daily News file photo)
IRON MOUNTAIN — The seventh sale will happen on the seventh.
Organizers will host the seventh-ever Crafty Flea Market on Saturday — Sept. 7 — at Lake Antoine Park.
“Made it easy for me to tell folks when they wanted to know the event date,” Lake Antoine Park Partners chair Doni-Mae B. Rauch said.
This outdoor, open-air market has become one of the biggest in the U.P. since it started in 2018. The community support for this event has always been outstanding, and once again this year it is sold out, organizers said.
The annual Crafty Flea Market is a combined fundraising effort by The Daily News’ Newspapers in Education, or NIE, program and Lake Antoine Park Partners that benefits both non-profits. NIE provides area schools with newspapers that assist teachers and other educators, while Lake Antoine Park Partners aims to help beautify the park and boat launch areas and develop community events.
“We have a little bit of everything for sale, from antiques to up-cycled items, kettle corn to a quarter-pound hotdog wrapped in bacon and deep fried. Handmade crafts to direct sale companies, maple syrup to salsa. Not to mention, flea market finds galore. Come on out and help make our golden year a success” said Jennifer Flynn, regional circulation manager for The Daily News.
The event also offers booths for Friends of the Braumart, OSF Hospice and Grief Support and Girl Scouts. Amber Grassinger from the Dickinson-Iron Health Department will have a Lactation Station at site No. 18a, next to the restrooms. A Crafty Flea and Lake Antoine Park Partners information booth will be in site No. 18.
Crafty Flea Market shoppers will notice the changes made at Lake Antoine this spring and summer. The new and long-awaited bathroom/shower facility beside the one from the 1960s is now open in the campground.
And the lakeside concession stand exterior was significantly refurbished. Local artist Matt Dault painted the “Fly Away” mural and Dan Recla, a vendor in site 31, made metal butterfly sculptures that are now on display at Butterfly Garden as part of the “Sunset Beach” project. This building will have further construction starting this fall, so the stand and those bathrooms will be closed after Labor Day.
The construction area will be flagged to warn visitors away from the staging area for construction materials on the ground near parking.
The interior roads of the campground will become a pedestrian walkway for handicapped visitors and those with baby strollers to easily maneuver to the booths. There are plans for Duane Lundamo, the current campground host, to have golf cart transportation for the handicapped from their special parking area to the start of the walkway.
New this year, Eric Robinson and the park crew will place benches through the Crafty Flea area so shoppers have a place to rest for a bit before continuing.
Concessions this year will once again be run by Strong Tower Church, in sites 19 and 20. This year they are serving hot dogs, chili dogs, brats, hamburgers, cheeseburgers, bacon cheeseburgers, pulled pork sandwiches, walking tacos, french fries, loaded fries, cheese curds, and the ever-popular big dog — 1/4 pound, wrapped in bacon and deep fried. They will also have cold sodas, water, tea and lemonade.
A complete list of crafters and vendors can be viewed in an ad on page 8-A. For more information, contact Flynn at 906-774-2772, ext. 218.
The event will go on rain or shine, organizers said.
Admission is a $2 donation per person, with no charge for ages 10 and younger, at the main entrance at N3393 Quinnesec-Lake Antoine Road. The park does have designated parking for the handicapped.