The Rice County Steam & Gas Engines Flea Market is located three miles south of Northfield along Minnesota Highway 3.
ON THIS BRISK SATURDAY in southeastern Minnesota—and I mean brisk as in ya better bundle up if you’re spending any time outdoors—my husband and I hit the Rice County Steam & Gas Engines annual Memorial Day weekend flea market.
Don Atkins of Carver invited me to the Scott-Carver Threshers 50th Harvest Festival on August 2 – 4 in Jordan.
I can’t decide what I enjoy more about this slice of rural Americana. The people watching. Or the shopping. Or photographing the flea market.
Even the old steam engine tractor was fired up for the day.
Photo ops abound at this event located on acreage along Minnesota Highway 3 near Dundas (between Faribault and Northfield).
Vendors galore at the flea market. Allow yourself several hours to poke around.
Despite the whipping wind, the tents, and most of the merchandise, stayed put while all ages perused what some might categorize as junk, others as treasures.
You’ll find lots of vintage signage.
A sweet 1940s vintage plane priced at $1,200.
Wood and lead type, some of which I wanted to buy, but didn’t.
A Minnesota souvenir.
Shovels lined up for the live auction on Saturday.
If you can’t find something here that you like, then you’re not digging or searching hard enough or you just don’t like flea markets. The eclectic mix of old stuff is, well, mind-boggling.
Riding the old merry-go-round near the front gates.
There’s still time to make this event. Gates open at 8 a.m. and close at 5 p.m. Sunday. A tractor pull is also slated for 9 a.m.
Eighteen-month-old Marina, bundled up and riding in a wagon pulled by her dad.
Dress warm.
MORE PHOTOS will be forthcoming in additional posts.
© Copyright 2013 Audrey Kletscher Helbling
Minnesota Prairie Roots 
Looks like a perfect way to spend the day (despite the weather). Love the vintage plane! Was that for sale?
The plane can be yours for, ta-da, $1,200.
Oh boy, I’m gonna need to pass 🙂
But, Grandma…
You find the best things and then photograph them too – love that:) Thanks for sharing the flea market!
Thank you, Renee. This flea market, and so many other events/places, offer prime photo ops.
So nice to meet you yesterday. Great photographs–you could make note cards and sell them at Steam Engine Days next year 🙂
Meeting you was a pleasure, too, Linda. Thank you for your kind words about Minnesota Prairie Roots. Hmmmmm, I’ll have to think about the note card suggestion. My husband would need to man the booth part of the time, though, so I could meander, meet fine folks like you and take photos.
I love flea markets. Sadly, I’ll miss my favorite local one entirely this year, as it’s only open on the three big holiday weekends and I missed it this weekend, will be gone over the 4th of July and also over Labor Day! Sad.
Only in recent years have I shopped flea markets, this one being the only one. It’s just great fun to poke around and see what you can find, plus the photo ops are many.