THE HUDSON VALLEY IN THE MARVELOUS MONTH OF MAY!
Spring is officially, and thankfully, here! Green is replacing brown as our grounds start to reawaken and buds start to envelope our garden…calling us to go outside and put our feet on dry, green grass!
As you make your plans for a summer visit to the Hudson Valley, please don’t neglect the marvelous month of May. Of course everyone thinks of Mother’s Day when speaking about May…but for many, May marks the beginning of antique season…when dealers, buyers, and bargain hunters start spending their weekends perusing famous fleas, fairs, and festivals. Here are our favorite antique sources, where we have found many a treasure for The Millbrook Inn!
OUR HUDSON VALLEY ANTIQUING GUIDE: THE BEST OF THE BEST
ELEPHANT’S TRUNK FLEA MARKET
If you want to shop where the dealers shop, get up at 4:30AM and drive to Elephant’s Trunk Flea in New Milford, CT. A frequent location for HGTV’s Flea Market Flip, you can find high-end pieces and low-end kitsch. There is something for everyone. You can also pay for access: they have dealer access tickets which get you in at 5:30AM; or early access tickets, or general admission. Open every Sunday during the Spring and Summer, and just 40 minutes away from The Millbrook Inn; so after a long morning on your feet, our Sunday brunch will be calling your name.
SPRING ANTIQUES AT RHINEBECK 2023
Run at the iconic Dutchess County Fairgrounds over Memorial Day Weekend, the Spring Antiques at Rhinebeck is one of the most beloved and anticipated antique show of the season! It is indoors and air conditioned, which sets it apart from the rest of the shows in this area, and is for those really looking for quality furniture, art, collectibles, jewelry, porcelain, and other unique items from dealers all over the Hudson Valley and New England. If you aren’t in the market for anything, it’s still a great place to enjoy, learn, and people watch: plenty of celebs with homes in the area turn out to do their Hudson Valley antiquing. Rhinebeck is only 40 minutes north of us, so The Millbrook Inn is a great base for your weekend, with more shopping along the way!
STORMVILLE FLEA MARKET
The season runs from April through November at this beloved Flea market, and bargain hunters come to the Stormville Flea Market and discover everything from antiques to arts and crafts to odd collectibles. This is the place for those who’s mantra is “one man’s’ trash is another man’s treasure”. Open from 8-4 rain or shine, only open a few weekends a year, and admission is free. Only a 20-minute drive from us, The Millbrook Inn is the perfect place to retreat to after a long morning on your feet!
ANTIQUE SHOPS ON FRANKLIN AVENUE IN MILLBROOK, NY
If you want to stay close, Millbrook offers two great antique-shopping options. Millbrook Antiques Center and Millbrook Antiques Mall are co-ops, meaning there are many dealers who have spots in these vintage, two-story buildings on Millbrook’s main shopping street, Franklin Avenue. Vintage clothing, oil paintings and Windsor chairs sit side by side with 50’s kitsch, old vinyl records, antique furniture, and crystal…and you can spend hours peeking around all the nooks and crannies to find your treasure. Its a potpourri and there is something for everyone. Don’t be afraid to ask the managers on site to call the dealers for the best price, but only if you are really ready to buy.
HISTORIC MILLERTON, NY: HUDSON VALLEY’S ANTIQUE SHOPPING JACKPOT
This is not a fair or flea. But Millerton, a historic Hudson Valley town just 30 minutes North of The Millbrook Inn, has an area on its Main Street with several really great antique stores back to back, and makes the drive a no-brainer. We love: Cottage and Camp! It has a great vibe of high and low items, so everyone can feel comfortable walking in and taking a little “shop”. The owner has a wonderful eye, from art to furniture to antique upcycled items…and whether your taste is farmhouse, eclectic, or something more formal, this will be worth a peek inside. Just next door, Montage has everything: but if you need a dining table that tells a story…Montage will most certainly have it. The modest front door belies the vast treasure that lies inside: beautiful pottery from Italy; American Windsor chairs, used farmhouse dining tables; art, upholstered up-cycled furniture, and even some select mid-century fill every corner. And right next door, Millerton Antiques Center is a great co-op of dozens of dealers, and they are amenable to your bargaining for the best price.