On Saturday April 11, Berryville will once again host the semiannual Big Flea. The Big Flea sets up in downtown Main Street every spring and fall, and welcomes small businesses, local sellers, food trucks, and other vendors to offer their goods and services to the greater Northern Virginia region. From eight in the morning to three in the afternoon, shoppers can enjoy walking around the quaint town and engaging in Clarke County’s largest yard sale. Best of all, it is free to attend and welcome to all.

In the past, over 170 vendors have participated in the event. This year is expected to be no different, and preparations are well underway. Berryville Main Street is the nonprofit who hosts the Big Flea, along with a number of other events and activities to appeal to locals and visitors alike. They have taken to decorating the downtown with banners and flyers announcing the upcoming flea market. Posts on Instagram, FaceBook, and other media sites have garnered attention for the big sale. One of the individuals behind the marketing for the Big Flea is Mr. Andrew Robertson, who, along with serving as President of Berryville Main Street’s Board of Directors, is also an instructional assistant at Woodgrove. Robertson worked his way up from a volunteer to the Board of Directors. “I just watched everything going on and realized they could use some help,” Robertson shared. 

Though the event has been put on for over 20 years, its name was changed from Berryville Yard Sale to the Big Flea two years ago to attract more customers and new vendors. The name change aligns with Berryville Main Street’s goals to maintain the vibrance of the town. “Berryville Main Street’s full focus is to continue to keep downtown businesses in downtown Berryville and create opportunities for new businesses to come in,” Robertson explained. 

Abigail Hondel has worked at Modern Mercantile, one of the stores on Berryville’s Main Street, for two years now, and she has taken notice of the increased traffic produced by the Big Flea’s presence. During the Big Flea’s duration, the bigger crowds often take advantage of the brick and mortar stores nearby. “I think there definitely are a few more people that come in [to the store],” Hondel shared. The Big Flea can act as a big attraction for people who have never been out to Berryville and are just visiting for the first time. “There’s people that’ll be like, ‘Oh, we’re just wandering around,’ or, ‘We came from West Virginia,’ or wherever, and a lot of people like to come check out Berryville,” Hondel remarked.

The Big Flea’s origins resemble a casual community yard sale. However, in the last few years, the flea has attracted vendors of high-end and vintage goods as well. Clarke County’s website markets the event as a chance to find “stunning jewelry, one-of-a-kind home décor, art, and specialty items.” Senior Ken Ruiz has been attending the Big Flea since she was four, and feels drawn to it for its eclectic mix of specialty vendors and local sellers. In particular, she appreciates the mix of handcrafted and vintage jewelry that can be found in stalls throughout the flea market. “Small brands and vendors have the opportunity to share their work and pieces with others, a lot of times leading to bigger sales which helps them continue to do what they love,” Ruiz elaborated. “Even if you don’t find something, going and supporting and interacting with the community is all that matters.”