Our Guide To Antique Markets & Vintage Shops

Summer is ripe for exploring small town shops on the drive up to cottage county, or for planning a day trip to an outdoor antique market or auction (you do not want to be lugging that new find on the top of your car in January). Here’s a roundup of sites that give listings for antique and vintage sources in locales across Canada and a couple in the U.S. — but it’s by no means an exhaustive list. Know of a source that’s not listed? Leave it in the comments section, we would love to share it.

CANADA

Hey Antiques is a well organized site of 1,564 antique stores across Canada broken down by province (ie. 72 in Ontario, 47 in Montreal, 29 in Vancouver), with hyperlinks to individual stores and brief descriptions. You can search for stores within a certain radius, and it further categorizes antiques, flea markets and collectibles.

A cross-Canada antiques and collectibles source directory, Antique67  includes small seasonal markets (calling ahead is advised) to shows here and the U.S., for instance the mammoth Brimfield Antique Show in Massachusetts.

World Class Antiques consists of over 1,000 Canadian antique stores and markets, categorized by province. It also includes some U.S. listings, plus an events page, online marketplace and a trip planner.

Antiques Canada is a national website that’s heavy on Ontario listings.

ONTARIO

Daytripping is a go-to source for events and destinations in Southern Ontario. The events page is a compilation of homespun happenings like quilt shows and town-wide yard sales.

Auctions Ontario lists province-wide auctions, antiques and collectibles shows, and includes info such as hours and admission prices.

Ontario Antique Shows & Market groups vintage and antique show calendars by month.

Auctions in Ontario and Quebec are not limited to antiques and collectibles, you’ll also find auctions on the Auction List for specialty items such as “horse-drawn vehicles.”

The biggest outdoor show in Eastern Ontario, the Odessa Antique Show runs August (6-7, 2016) with over 100 vendors specializing in antiques and collectibles including furniture, glass and china.

Antique Shows Canada lists annual shows like the Elora Vintage & Antique show, which runs in April, and Orillia’s Midsummer Antique & Vintage Show in July with over 80 antique, vintage and retro dealers from Quebec, Manitoba, New Brunswick and Ontario.

A thorough listing of antique shows and festivals (U.S. events are flagged with…. a flag), The Wayback Times lists off-the-beaten track listings held in small-town community centers, such as the Thornbury Antique Show on Aug. 21-22, 2016.

Located just south of Guelph, The Aberfoyle Antique Market is Canada’s largest outdoor market with over 100 vendors, and is open Sundays from April 24 to October 30, 2016, from 8-4.

The Christie Antique & Vintage Show (held on the Saturday after Victoria Day in the spring, and the Saturday after Labour Day in the fall on September, 10, 2016) is one of the area’s biggest draws. The show is held on 10 acres in the Christie Lake Conservation area.

ONTARIO COTTAGE COUNTRY

For antique stores in the Muskoka region: just click on the Map View at the bottom of the home page to chart your trip.

Do It In Muskoka lists small town antique and collectibles shops in Muskoka (ie. Huntsville, Rosseau, Port Carling, Bracebridge).

My Kawartha lists antique shops in this area.

Simcoe County is a directory of antique stores in Simcoe and surrounding area.

Prince Edward County details stores in picturesque Prince Edward County, which is known for its primitive pine pieces and what has to be a candidate for best-named shop: Dead People’s Stuff Antiques, including a listing with maps.

Visit Port Colborne for antique shops in this quaint area in Southwestern Ontario.

There are about 15 stores listed in the Niagara region on Niagara This Week.

Approximately 20 stores are listed on this Durham site, linked to maps.

The Hamilton Spectator has compiled approximately 40 shops across the Hamilton area, linked to maps.

NOVA SCOTIA

Antiques Nova Scotia has 20 listings from across the province, from Belleisle to Baddeck.

UNITED STATES

Super kitschy  The Thriftshopper is a national U.S. listing of charity resale, secondhand vintage and consignment shops. Just enter a city or state and this site gives maps to each store.