If there’s one thing that Mississippi does well, it’s flea markets, and Canton, in particular, is famous for them. But out of all of Canton’s flea markets, which one is the largest?
What is a flea market?
Usually, a flea market is a type of market where various used goods are sold at bargain prices. The term "flea market" is thought to have originated from a Parisian bazaar known as “marché aux puces”, which specialized in second-hand items.
Today, flea markets are popular all over the world, and they offer a unique shopping experience. Visitors to a flea market can find everything from unique, hand-crafted gifts to clothes, accessories, furniture and antiques.
What makes a flea market so great?
Whether you’re looking for a thrifty bargain and some rare antiques, or you just enjoy the excitement of searching through interesting goodies, a flea market is a wonderful experience.
There’s something special about finding a bespoke treasure handcrafted by a creative, and a flea market is a great place to showcase artisan pieces. It’s also common to bargain or haggle at flea markets, so shoppers can often get fantastic deals.
Mississippi’s largest flea market
With a population of just over 13,000, the town of Canton, Mississippi, is relatively small. But this number significantly increases when the bi-annual Canton Market Arts and Crafts Show is in town. This fantastic event attracts over 1,100 superior artists and craftspeople to showcase their artisan creations to thousands of shoppers, making it one of the largest markets in Mississippi.
The market itself is hosted on the beautiful grounds of Madison County Courthouse and throughout the neighboring areas. The show runs for one day at a time and is held on the second Thursday of May and October.
What items feature at The Canton Flea Market?
Whilst many flea markets offer an opportunity to sell unwanted items and find vintage gems amongst another person’s forgotten treasures, the Canton Flea Market Arts and Crafts Show is a little different. Mississippi’s Canton Flea Market Arts and Crafts Show emphasizes the display of handmade, unique wares rather than second-hand items, and encourages artisanal creations such as jewelry, pottery and paintings.
Vending is by invitation only, so if you are an artist interested in exhibiting your work, please forward application to fleamarket@cantontourism.com or you can call the Canton Convention and Visitors Bureau to request an application form. We also ask you to send some visuals of your artwork or craftsmanship.
In order to participate, all exhibited items must be handmade, or partially handmade, in order to qualify for vending. The artisanal aspect of the flea market is what we think makes our experience so special, which is why each artist must fit this criteria.
Canton flea market 2023 dates
Our Canton Flea Market Arts and Crafts Show fell on October 13th this year. If you missed out on the big event this time, don’t worry. You can catch our spectacular Canton Flea Market Arts and Crafts Show again on May 11th 2023 and October 12th, 2023.