For one hundred and fourteen years, the Civic Club of Oakland has been active in Garrett County, engaged in many community projects and organizations. For fifty-one years, the Antiques & Artisans Market has been a major fundraiser for the club. The money raised by this event is donated back to local nonprofit organizations, allowing them to do the work they do best. While the look of this event has changed over the years, one thing remains the same: the Antiques & Artisans Market is a fun, family-friendly event and an Autumn Glory tradition that is not to be missed.
In recent years, the ‘Antiques Market’ has taken on a fresh look, but organizers remain committed to providing a unique event during the Autumn Glory festivities. “This year, we are adding a Preview Night on Thursday, October 9th, to celebrate our 51st year and provide extra time for folks to come and browse vendor booths before the market opens on Friday. Vendors will be set up and ready to sell their unique wares. In addition to getting an early jump on the best merchandise, we will be offering an event for families to celebrate the Autumn Glory season in a relaxed and new way,” said Jean Tumbarello, one of the event chairs.
In addition to getting a first look at vendor offerings, there will be a few added bonuses to the night. “Light refreshments, wine (ID required), and beverages, and live music entertainment will be provided. There will also be a door prize and a 50/50 drawing,” said Tumbarello. The $5 donation will also provide visitors with unlimited access to the venue on Friday and Saturday. “People can come back all weekend to have lunch at the café and revisit vendors. We offer great homemade food on Friday and Saturday. In addition to our famous soups, last year we added pierogies and kielbasa to our offerings, and they will be on the menu again this year.”
Preview night refreshments will be provided. Light fare will include a variety of meats, cheese, fruit, and meatballs. A serving of wine (ID will be checked at the door) or soda is included. Heart 2 Heart, Kevin and Sydney Manning’s acoustic duo, will provide live music during the two-hour event. The group covers songs from Carly Simon, Keith Urban, Tim McGraw, Maren Morris, Lady A, Little Big Town, Bob Seger, and more.
Lowe’s has provided a door prize that includes a grill and all the accessories needed to have a backyard BBQ. Every visitor will receive one entry coupon for the door prize. Additional tickets can be purchased during the event, and the winner will be chosen at 6:30 pm. A 50/50 drawing will be held on Thursday, as well as on Friday and Saturday. Winners do not have to be present to win any of the prizes.
Organizers are thrilled that the appraiser from last year will be returning to do appraisals again this year. Tom Dolan, a former certified appraiser and auctioneer, will be on-site Thursday, Friday, and Saturday to evaluate and offer verbal fair market values on your treasures. “This was a popular feature of the market last year. Tom looked at fifty-six items, and a few of them were quite valuable. It was fun to see the beautiful items people brought in for appraisal. We anticipate an even greater demand for appraisals this year, so we highly recommend people reserve time to come in,” said Tumbarello. Reservations can be made by emailing gfwc.oakland@yahoo.com. Walk-in appraisals may have to wait; it takes 10 to 15 minutes for each item to be appraised. The cost for each item appraised is $10.
Event Co-chair Teri Peterson is pleased to announce that there are a few new and returning antique/vintage dealers in the market this year. “Many of our long-time antique dealers have been unable to continue doing the market. Artisans were added a few years ago, and we are happy to showcase the beautiful things they make. This year, we were able to secure a few more antique and vintage vendors. Five are local, two are from Pennsylvania, and one is from Ohio. We have confirmed reservations for eight antique/vintage vendors.” In addition to the new antique vendors, there are several new artisan vendors as well as returning favorites.
“There is a lot to see, and this event offers our visitors so much. Plan to spend at least an hour or two at the Market to take advantage of everything we offer,” said Tumbarello. In addition to visiting vendors, there are raffle tickets available for the ‘Winners Choice’ raffle to be held on Saturday, October 11, at 4:30 pm. Three winning tickets will be drawn for a $500 cash prize, a full queen-size quilt, and a basket filled with goodies and local gift cards.
Come for lunch at the café where homemade soups, sloppy joes, pierogies & kielbasa will be available alongside our wonderful baked goods. A separate dining area will be set up for leisurely dining. “You can watch Tom doing his appraisals as you enjoy good food.”
The Civic Club wants to acknowledge the businesses that have generously sponsored this event. “Local business support enables us to give more back to the community,” said Peterson. Platinum sponsors are Fitzwater Furniture, Garrett Regional Medical Center, Mettiki Coal, and the Rotary Club of Oakland. Gold sponsors are Green Acres Garden Center, Lori Richards, Naylor’s Hardware, Silver Tree Marine, and Wayne’s Water N Wells. Silver sponsors include Diamond Appliances, First United Bank, Glotfelty Enterprises, Railey Realty, Mountain Postal, and Schoolhouse Earth. Other businesses contributing to the event include Brenda’s family of restaurants, El Canelo, Nolas Salon, Deep Creek Lavender Farm, Tall Pines Distillery, Book Mark’et & Antique Mezzanine, and members of the Civic Club.
Preview Night hours will be from 5 pm until 7 pm on Thursday, October 9. There will be a road closure for the parades on Thursday and Saturday, so be sure to follow the signs along King’s Run Road to get to the community center on 8th Street. Event hours on Friday and Saturday will be 9 am until 5 pm. Admission donation on Thursday is $5/person over 12 and $2/person over 12 on Friday and Saturday. The first 100 patrons each day will receive a special gift from the Civic Club.
Written by Civic Club of Oakland.