Elephant's Trunk Flea Market — Local services in New Milford

I do love the elephant's trunk flea market but over the last few years it has really went downhill. It is extremely overrated and overpriced in my personal opinion. The price people are asking for some things is absolutely ridiculous. It used to be that you go to elephant's trunk and see great vintage items and could walk around for a few hours now they just seem to throw expensive tags on just about anything. Some days there are so many vendors that it is overwhelming especially when there's really not that many shoppers spending money. It is also pretty much the same exact stuff week-to-week. Although you will find one or two new items there are literally items I have seen there at the same stands for the last 4 years or so. The parking lot seems kind of big but once it gets a little later in the day it is pretty full. I suggest getting there really early to get a great spot and not wait. They charge $2 to get in which even though $2 is cheap it's absolutely ridiculous to charge to walk around a flea market where are the prices are already insane. Never mind on the days when flea market flip was there the prices are three times the amount that they should be. There are some great Antiques and odd items but it's just not worth it in my opinion. I've went twice this season already and each time it was pretty much the exact same stuff. The best part about the flea market in my opinion is Dave's mini Donuts. They are made fresh everyday and are absolutely delicious. Even those have raised in price just since last season. Overall a nice Market but I would never recommend it to anybody that lives more than about 20 minutes away. Anything longer to me is not worth the ride. There's not much else that I have found to do in the area to make it worth the trip. Maplewood indoor market next door is pretty nice but same problem everything is really overpriced. I'm beginning to think it is just all of Connecticut that is overpriced. On a really great day they have said there are three or four hundred vendors supposably however for a typical day I would say 100 vendors or so at best. And don't ever go if it is raining. They will tell you the field is full but they'll be about 10 stands. And as usual they will be overpriced. Overall if in the area it is worth a small drive to the market or if you are willing to spend a ton of money on things. The same exact road signs I buy in New Jersey for $5 and $10 are typically $30 and $40 at the elephant's trunk. Extremely overrated and extremely over-priced in my opinion. They do offer a few different food trucks including barbecue and breakfast sandwiches as well as french fries and other things. There are also a few porta potties throughout the field. Be sure to wear comfortable shoes as it is a lot of walking on dirt and...

I was kicked out of the flea market this morning. I have gone almost every weekend for the last 15 years or so and I have never seen the workers walk intently through the aisles, scouring for items they don’t like. One worker found a small, ka-bar hunting knife in a sheath on a table. He brings it to another worker who is inspecting another table and he determines that he doesn’t approve. They search for the seller and after not finding him initially, they throw it in the back of the sellers truck. They decide what gets sold, even if it’s legal. I questioned what the difference was between a gentlemen selling a small, sheathed hunting knife and someone selling an 8” kitchen knife. He proceeded to lecture me about the intent of the object, one being a weapon and one being a tool. This is utterly ridiculous. Has no one ever used a kitchen knife as a weapon? I pointed at freshly sharpened axes on the ground, and asked about baseball bats and hammers. Are you going to ban the sale of those based on your opinion as well? Then he kicked me out. His ego couldn’t take any questions. No one can ask for clarification on what this arrogant staff member deems too offensive to sell. The other staff members were looking at paintings of guns on tables, probably looking to ban them for being offensive as well. Honestly, considering the price increases, and the lessening quality of the market and now a staff that takes it upon themselves to overstep and allow their personal, stupid, opinions to dictate what legal items you can sell, I won’t come back. He did give me a refund though, so there’s that. *Update, they blocked me on Facebook after I...

I have wanted to visit Elephant's Trunk Flea Market in what seems forever since I am a huge fan of Flea Market Flip. Well last year I moved to Ct to be near family. So this past Sunday I convinced them to visit this place with me which was only an hour drive. It was extremely busy but everyone wore masks. There was even a line to get in which surprised me. But the line moved swiftly and I finally got to experience this place. There was much to look at for sure. Vendors I interacted with were very nice. Surprised to see though many items marked high. Maybe because they expect you to pay less? One complaint was the amount of items with no price at all and vendors busy or not in sight to ask. I just walk on if items have no price and know others that have said the same thing. Word of advice vendors.....mark your items! Also shocked that several vendors we witnessed starting to load up their trucks shortly after 12:30!! I read on the website that they cannot leave until 2pm which is when the market closes. Hard to believe they would want to risk losing sales because they want to be first out of the place! And very unfair for the buyers that didn't arrive until close to noon. We felt robbed that we paid our admission and then didn't get to see several vendors wares because they chose to pack up and wait for their 2pm escape. All in all it was a fun couple of hours and have plans to return...