Above is the Google Earth view of Rutledge Flea Market in Missouri. It is the largest flea market I have ever been to, and while others claim to be the largest Flea Market in Missouri they don’t hold a candle to this one.

 

If you are within driving distance I recommend a visit to this flea market. I have bought hundreds of items from the Rutledge Flea market, and I am addicted to the deals that can be had at this huge flea market. I will give a word of advice, this is a Hillbilly flea market, not a high flue-ten affair. You will run into chickens, dogs, goats and other livestock for sale. You will also run into some real hillbillys. It will scare most city slickers back to their air conditioned antique stores.

Rutledge Flea market is located in the country outside of the small city of Rutledge Missouri. It is located in a pretty remote section of northeast Missouri. While I live sixty five miles from Rutledge I rarely miss the opportunity to go there.

The flea market is only open one weekend a month, with the exception of an occasional second weekend on the last month. They are open from March through October, and are closed through the winter. They are open Friday and Saturday on the second weekend of the month, with Saturday being the big sales day.

Rutledge started around 1948 as a dog and gun exchange. It grew to encompass 60 acres with hundreds of booths and thousands of buyers. It is what a Walmart would be like after TEOTWAWKI.

If you decide to make the journey to the flea market I recommend to get there as early as possible on Saturday. I often get there at 8 am, and in the past would get their shortly after daybreak. All booths are manned by the sellers, and they usually setup their booths on Friday, to be ready at daybreak on Saturday. Some sellers start packing up a little after noon. By three in the evening most booths have closed.

You will find a little bit of everything at Rutledge. I have bought everything from guns to food. I have bought hundreds of planter plates at Rutledge for my AC planter. You name it there is a good chance you can eventually find it at Rutledge.

It cost $2 to park in the field doubling as parking overflow. If you are a fast walker expect four hours to walk through everything, a lot longer if you stop to look a lot. Be ready to haggle for a good deal, and don’t be afraid to make an offer. There are no ATMs, so bring cash. Golf carts ATV’s and UTV’s can be used at the flea market but are charged a fee to enter. If I remember right the fee for an ATV is $5. Admittance is free, you just have to pay to park.

I know a lot of the people who read my blog are not from Missouri, but those from Missouri, Iowa and Illinois should strongly consider taking a trip one weekend to check out this one of a kind flea market. I am surprised at the amount of people in my area who have not heard of the Rutledge Flea Market.

The flea market does have a simple website with a calendar of their schedule:

Rutledge Flea Market Website

The season starts

 

If you go to Rutledge there is also a bonus, a second large outdoor flea market just down the road, Colony. Worth checking out, Colony is not as large as Rutledge, and is a little more peaceful. I have found some good deals there as well, and go there every time I am at Rutledge. Colony has free parking and admittance is free as well.

Colony allows the use of Golf carts and they are not charged a fee to enter. Colony is about 1/6 the size of Rutledge but is well worth visiting. Colony’s schedule matches that of Rutledge, but it is also open additional weekends every month.

 

Colony Website

 

I plan to attend both flea markets when they open next month. I am not affiliated with either flea market, just figured I would let others know about them.