The national Country Living Fair, a combination flea market, collectibles, and arts and crafts show, attracts thousands searching for unusual home décor items, antiques and garden accents during its weekend stops throughout the Midwest, South and East Coast. This year, the Country Living magazine-sponsored fair added a spring stop in Columbus, Ohio. The show was held in Ohio Village, a re-creation of a 19th-century town.

Visitors browsed more than 200 booths of antiques, vintage and hand-crafted goods. Sellers were from more than 20 different states. Additional features at the fair included Country Living’s kitchen and stages with cooking demos and presentations by the editors and TV star guests.

Visitors could find the unique — a tin rooster for $69 comes to mind — and the kitschy, such as a cement swan for $75. Eclectic items seen included industrial gauges ($6 and $14), salesman sample rotary dial, push-button and princess phones (ranging from $3 to $7 each), felt tourist banners ($5 to $20), vintage hankies ($10 each), a toy rocking horse from the 1950s ($65) and various-sized blue bottles ($7.95 to $9.95). Also seen: balusters repurposed into candleholders selling for $15.95 and up.

Garden décor items included 1-foot to 3-foot-high metal flowers ranging from $35 to $75 each, and different-sized terra-cotta birds on poles costing $3, $4, $5 and $6. Furniture, lighting, signs and textiles also were well-represented.

“These shows are always great,” said Robin Sweeney, a collector and dealer from Lakewood, Ohio. “There’s so much for people to see. There are hidden treasures.”

 

There is a September show in Columbus, and a Country Living Fair being held in Atlanta on Oct. 26-28. Visit CountryLiving.com for more information. Photos by Susan Condon Love