Third Sunday Market is a unique market in Central Illinois with over 450 vendors from 17 states selling items such as antiques, crafts, clothing, furniture, sports memorabilia, and things you wouldn’t even imagine. I love going to the market to hunt for treasures.
People come from near and far to shop the market. If you live anywhere in the Midwest, Third Sunday Market is definitely worth a road trip. In fact, many of my friends and family drive several hours to shop at the market.
My favorite finds at Third Sunday Market
This summer I bought an old rusted metal tool chest that I found at the market, and then transformed it into a beautiful piece of furniture for our home. You can read about the transformation in my Vintage Metal Tool Chest Makeover blog post.
Other treasures I have picked up at the market include lamps made out of old porch posts, a cowhide rug, a beautiful side chair, an old wooden feed box, a handmade liquor cabinet, and numerous other items.
One of my favorite things to search for at the market is old pieces of silver flatware. In my post on How to Polish Tarnished Silver, I talk about two sets of vintage silver flatware I picked up from a yard sale and an estate sale. Third Sunday Market has several vendors that sell random pieces of silver flatware patterns, and I love digging for pieces to add to my sets.
Another fun thing about the market is that many of the vendors will negotiate prices, but not all of them. I love to bargain shop, and when the vendors are willing to negotiate it makes me feel all warm and fuzzy thinking I got a really good deal.
When to shop the Third Sunday Market
The market is held May through October and only on the third Sunday of each month—hence the name “Third Sunday Market”— which makes for limited weekends of scavenging for hidden treasures. The location is right off of Interstate Highway 55 in Bloomington, Illinois, which makes it easy to find. Directions are listed on the Third Sunday Market website.
If you do take the time to visit the market, I would highly recommend getting there early. It opens at 8:00 a.m., but I generally get there at 7:30 a.m. to try and beat the crowd. Around mid-morning is when it becomes really busy. I also take a large cross-body bag with me to carry smaller items that I purchase.
I hope you have an opportunity to visit the Third Sunday Market. Happy treasure hunting!
xoxo,
Molly
P.S. Shout out to my niece Davie Prather for taking the pictures for me when she came to shop at the market!
Angel Food Cake with Strawberries
I love the market. I look forward to visiting and going annually. You can find about anything there.