What's Next for Bouckville?

For nearly 40 years, a 90-acre field along U.S. Route 20 about 35 miles east of Syracuse has been the site of the Madison-Bouckville Outdoor Antiques Show.

 

Best use of a screen door and Christmas ornaments, from this summer's Madison-Bouckville Outdoor Antiques Show.

Since the 1970s the show has steadily grown to more than 1,000 dealers and has been featured in national publications, including Country Living, and on HGTV. I've been going to Bouckville for almost 20 years and last August met Sue and Gina there to look for treasures.

But it appears that change is imminent for 2011. Word came late Friday that the field where the show is held has been sold to a local dairy farmer who will probably return it to agricultural use. In fact, he said it will likely be a cornfield!

 
Biggest markup of buttons, from this summer's Madison-Bouckville Outdoor Antiques Show.
 
I don't think that this is the end of antiquing in August in Bouckville. Over the years the show had inspired several other shows on other fields along Route 20. Most of these shows, which charge no admission, open early in the week while the main show is open only on the weekend, with an admission charge. Those shows, I think, will continue and may even grow as some of the vendors from the main field seek new spots.

And to be perfectly honest, in recent years, the main field wasn't what it once was. I found the prices higher there and the selection more limited. In fact this year, there were several rows with lots of empty spaces.

Only time will tell what happens because August is a long way away. I'll keep you updated as I learn more. Let's hope there's more than a cornfield. 

Comments

[Gina at Vintage Junk in My Trunk]

WHAT???!!! Say it ain't so. Although I agree with you about the "big show". Haven't even gone in myself for the last couple of years, since there was the big admission charge on Friday and I was seeing things I saw early in the week. Just hope it doesn't scare away vendors up and down Rte. 20 and we can still enjoy our week-long extravaganza. Keep me posted!

[Vintageshopgirl]

Love the screen door idea - will use that in my shop booth for our Open House! Thanks for sharing...

[sue]

Noooooooo! I just discovered it this past year .... I concur, however, that the big field was largely disappointing in that it was too expensive (entry fee as well as overall prices), and there were loads of empty rows. Maybe it's just not tenable? The other shows were AMAZING and I'll be baaaaack! XOX

[Linda H.]

I've gone to Bouckville for years and never paid to get into the main show. I spend about 8 hours walking just in the free field tents and don't even see it all. Plant that corn....we will still come!

[Joy]

Yes, so disappointing about Bouckville. But now it frees me up to visit the real treasure booths outside the main show grounds, which I never have time to do. I was very disappointed by both Bouckville and the Long Branch shows this year.

[Joy]

Did you hear Bouckville is back on? It was in today's Post-Standard. Here's the link:
http://www.syracuse.com/news/index.ssf/2010/11/new_promoter_steps_forward_for.html

A new organizer stepped in and the farmer said they could use it for the Antique Fest!