If it’s Memorial Day, then it’s flea market time in Hillsville. Twice each year, Memorial Day and Labor Day weekends, the entire town of Hillsville turns into a huge flea market. Upwards of 500,000 people are expected for this year’s unofficial kick-off to summer.

Vendors from the professional circuit, collectors, and local crafters join together for four days to offer fun, food, and bargains galore. Despite predictions of huge crowds, on Saturday there seemed to be almost as many vendors as there were patrons.

There were Brahma bull rides and blooming onions.

There were kids and ladies in hats. And ladies with guns.

It’s a carnival, it’s a sideshow, it’s a bit of Americana. If you hurry, you still have time to make one of the best free shows around.

Woodcarver Tom Brannock

Some of Tom's carvings including the "whimadilly"

Troubador John Allen from Mt. Holly, NC

Note: If you arrived on this page looking for information on the Labor Day flea market, go to my post dated 8/26/2010. That post contains most of the phone numbers and information vendors will need for future markets.