Waldo Farmers and Flea Market

Can't Miss Sign

The Waldo Farmers and Flea Market came to us in two ways.  It was listed in Atlas-Obscura and was also on the road we took to visit my Brother in Gainesville.  You really can’t miss it with a big chair, a windmill and a horse atop the sign along the side of U.S. 301.  So either way we would have found this gem.  We would have stopped because of the farmer’s market portion but, as we found out, this flea market is HUGE and you can spend a good portion of the day.  There are numerous food vendors with very reasonable prices to prevent you from leaving for a snack or lunch.  The collection of vendors and antiques is a treasure trove among the countless roadside gems lining the stretch of U.S. Route 301 from Gainesville to Jacksonville.

Food Vendors are Plenty

Tons of Booths

 
Featuring everything from authentic vintage signs to fishing tackle, musical instruments to fresh produce, and, if you’re lucky, the opportunity to pose for a photo with a “wolf hybrid” (for the small fee of one dollar), a day spent at the outdoor market (and you will need a whole day) is a ticket to another world, simpler times when life happened at a slower pace. Wait in line for ice cream churned by a John Deere tractor engine (worth it), sit down and enjoy a corn dog and sweet tea or try to choose from the endless flavors of boiled peanuts offered by a handful of vendors. 
The Waldo Flea market was born in 1975 after entrepreneur Al Killian and his wife Anne visited a farmers and flea market. They loved the concept. So after returning from their travels Al, better known as “Big Al”, “Cuz”, “Killer” or “Big Daddy” immediately started putting his plans into action. First he bought a 40 acre piece of land on Highway 301 and started constructing several large pole barns. People laughed at him and said he was going to have to put chickens in the sheds. However, several months later the Waldo Farmers and Flea Market was born. Nearly 40 years later, the market remains in the family, and sees 900 vendors and 40,000 visitors each weekend. An antique village, open daily from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., boasts huge collections of antiques, home furnishings and more to the antique enthusiast or the enthusiastic passerby. The flea market also hosts various local musicians so you may also stumble into a free concert while you are there.  Or better yet, check the schedule on their web site and make it a planned trip.