Today was the much-anticipated annual Petaluma Fall Antique Fair in the charming wine country town of Petaluma. This vibrant event, set entirely outdoors, featured around 180+ dealer booths and welcomed over 8,000 eager shoppers! With a wide variety of treasures to explore—estate jewelry, furniture, linens, art, kitchenware, vintage décor, tin toys, Mid-Century Modern pieces, books, and unique collectibles—there was truly something for everyone.
The day had begun with a heavy marine layer and mist, but it soon blossomed into sunshine, eventually reaching a gorgeous 80 degrees. By the time we arrived mid-morning, the fair was in full swing. We wore layers and dressed comfortably.
We spent the day weaving through the bustling streets, going from booth to booth, each vendor offering their own little slice of history. The fair stretched over several blocks of downtown Petaluma, and there seemed to be more shoppers than ever before—likely due to the perfect weather. There were also more vendors than in years past and, of course, a lot of cute dogs! The event has a way of drawing out folks with their furry companions, so dodging baby carriages and pups was all part of the experience.
As a vintage Christmas collector, I was thrilled to see an increase in Christmas finds compared to previous years. However, there was noticeably less Mid-Century Modern this time around, and we missed seeing the array of 1950s and 1960s chrome tables and starburst clocks. Pyrex, another fair favorite, was also less abundant, which made me wonder if the craze is slowing down or if it’s just becoming harder to find. Nonetheless, there was no shortage of other treasures, including vintage linens, posters, botanical prints, books, and, of course, jewelry—ranging from fine estate pieces to fun fashion accessories. Yard decorations also made a cheerful appearance, adding to the fair’s diverse offerings. I also loved how creative vendors were with one displaying a lovely array of vintage ceramic lady head vases holding vintage hair decorations and clips.
Having not attended the show for a couple of years, it was refreshing to get back into the thrill of exploring, people-watching, and treasure hunting. I wore my trusty “Searching for Treasure” t-shirt from Crazy4MeStyle.com, which always brings me good luck with Holt-Howard pixieware, Lefton blue birds, Catherineholm enamelware, and of course Pyrex—and true to form, I found some amazing vintage Christmas items! I’ll be posting a haul photo shortly, so stay tuned for all the festive finds.
You can read more and explore additional posts I have about the antique fair and dive into past Spring Show highlights here.