The Big Flea Market — Local services in Chantilly

A truly magical event that is not to be missed! My sister and I had an absolute blast at The Big Flea! The number of booths, the diversity of offerings and prices, and the loveliness of the sellers we met vastly exceeded our expectations. We found some real treasures at extremely reasonable prices and the sellers were amenable to working with us. We love poking through old things and asking questions about things with which we are not familiar and we got to do loads of it. No one was short with us or impatient, even when we didn't purchase anything. The vendors seemed to genuinely love sharing their expertise even if it did not result in a sale.

The volume of things for sale may be a bit overwhelming to those with sensory processing conditions. It may be best for them to get some cocoa from the cafe and sit a few minutes to get acclimated. They can then move toward whichever section or item calls to them. I recommend bringing some snacks and a bottle of water, and planning to take breaks periodically to stave off exhaustion or overstimulation. It may even be best to come on two consecutive days so as not to overdue it or so you can see the full range of offerings. We were only able to get through a fraction of the booths in a period of 5 hours. The thing we found most challenging was finding the facility. Signage for the expo center is abysmal and if you have not been there before it is best to print out directions ahead of time. Even with GPS, we struggled to find it.

We are looking much forward to going again when The Big Flea Extravaganza (which really should be the title)...

New to the DC area - and as a self-proclaimed “thrifter” I love trying to find the best of the flea markets, vintage shows, thrift and antique shops in our area! There is NOTHING more thrilling than finding a treasure (in whatever form that takes for you!) in a vast array of a thrifty jumble!

Didn’t know what to expect - as it was my first time at the DC Big Flea, and wasn’t sure if it would be worth the $10, but it turned out to be a small price to pay for such a beautiful, curated array of vendors. When I first walked in I wondered if it was “big enough” to have the mix I was looking for - but it ended up being the PERFECT size / amount of vendors - we were able to see everything and not be exhausted by the size, like Brimfield. And, there was quite literally something for everyone! My three friends and I all ended up leaving with our own steals, deals and treasures.

As a special shout out - I will say, if you enjoy browsing jewelry you will have a field day. This show has some of the best jewelry...

Ten things I love about the DC Big Flea Market:

1. Feeling my anticipation grow when the date gets nearer;
2. Inviting friends who also love vintage and antiques to spend a day with me searching for gems;
3. Plenty of free parking;
4. Getting there early to get the lay of the land;
5. Fast, easy check-in (masks on please!);
6. Saying hello to my favorite vendors -- like the German-American guy who mans the Art Nouveau stall (he is so kind and always has a wonderfully curated selection, and he really knows his stuff)!
7. Burning off calories (big-time!) walking up and down the oodles of aisles while shopping;
8. Grabbing a bite to eat at the food stall (pro-tip - just do NOT get the pizza, it's pretty inedible);
9. Peeking into my favorite estate jewelry stalls with googly eyes; and, finally
10. Taking selfies of myself with my favorite finds on Instagram and Yelp, like this antique accordion (haha!). All the heart eyes to the wonderful team and vendors at DC Big Flea Market! Please keep on bringing us fabulous...