Flea Market 2011 Thread

For those who will be asking, yes you can use credit/debit cards at the tables. It's a little bit of a process, involving getting a receipt from the table for the item you want, taking that receipt to one of the ATM booths (there *is* more than one ATM booth), then taking that ATM booth receipt back to the table you bought from, to get your item. But yes you can use credit/debit cards.

If you're on Twitter use hashtag #bwayflea2011.

And if anyone finds one I'm in the market for a Wonderland Mad Batters jersey. :)

I am always upset at myself when I see an item I purchased a few tables away at a much cheaper price.

Yeah, if it's something really special or something there's only one of get it. Otherwise wait. In the last hour or so stuff gets really cheap. Two years ago I got a "Don't be a Butthead" shirt from Marvelous Wonderettes for $1 and they put it in a cloth "Playbill" bag. And last year some tables would stuff extra things in my bag like magnets and buttons for free.

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The windowcards vary from show to show - I'd say expect to pay about $50 or so.

The autograph table is $25 for the whole table (two autographs per celeb)

The photo booth is $10 per picture unless you request more than one celeb or they have a special package. If you request more than one person it's $40 unless someone else offers more. I typically try to get at least one "couple" each year. Two years ago they were offering Gavin Creel and Will Swenson together for $40 but one person said "I'll pay $50" so it became $50 for everyone. You can use your own camera in the photo booth but they do have a camera there also.

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Updated On: 9/7/11 at 02:29 PM

Anakela- I've thought of doing that. I've done the "early shift", where you pretty much get the pick of the crop, and the "late shift", the last hour-or-so where you get whatever's left, but it's all cheap (and sometimes free!). I did the "late shift" last year (I got there around 3), and the ticket raffle was long gone. 2 years ago, I did the "early shift" (was there at opening- partially to it being at Hammerstein) and got free show tickets, but I paid a lot more for far less things than last year. I guess going at the beginning, taking a break for lunch, and then coming back is the way to go. Thoughts?

Last year was my first time going and I took in a matinee (Idiot) and an evening show (BBAJ). I'm debating on seeing a show this year. Idiot's a short show so I was still able to wander around afterwards. If I do see a show, which would be better: a matinee or an evening?

Anakela- I've thought of doing that. I've done the "early shift", where you pretty much get the pick of the crop, and the "late shift", the last hour-or-so where you get whatever's left, but it's all cheap (and sometimes free!). I did the "late shift" last year (I got there around 3), and the ticket raffle was long gone. 2 years ago, I did the "early shift" (was there at opening- partially to it being at Hammerstein) and got free show tickets, but I paid a lot more for far less things than last year. I guess going at the beginning, taking a break for lunch, and then coming back is the way to go. Thoughts?

I have a real intense dislike of crowds (I know, so flea market is the perfect place for me, right? :)), and also I'm not really into the autograph/picture tables and usually skip them outright, so if that's all you're in for this system probably won't work for you, but... I found that going from about 9am-12noonish (oh, and for first timers: contrary to the 10am start time, tables will totally sell you stuff before then if they're set up and ready) let me do a lot of looking, a little bit of shopping, and a couple of the roulette wheel and ticket picking rounds. Then go home, take a break for lunch, etc. and avoid the huge pre-matinee crowds. Return at 4/5pmish, drop off window cards to be framed, do a couple of freebies/cheapies tours of tables, and your day is done (also a tip for first timers: most tables are well packed up and gone before the 7pm end time.)

Bumping a 'best finds' thread from last year's flea market for the first timers, so you can get an idea of prices, merch, etc: (also, I just looked up my posts from last year, and apparently I was playing ticket picking during my afternoon round too, so it's not over that early)


Best finds at the Flea Market?

Updated On: 9/7/11 at 03:08 PM

so $50 is a very good budget? It's my first time going and I'm getting ready :)

Does the flea market have stuff from Off-Broadway shows as well? This is my first time going, and I'm really excited to see what's there.

I was reading the website and it says that "this is an exciting day for broadway and off-broadway". So I would suspect so :)

so $50 is a very good budget? It's my first time going and I'm getting ready :)

Haha...I usually bring a few hundred dollars.

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If anyone finds a copy of HIGH by Matthew Lombardo, could they please purchase it on my behalf and I'll reimburse them.

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Broadway, Off-Broadway and PaperMill Playhouse even has a table. Lots of tables also have actual flea market finds like choctchkes, CD's, DVD's and even food. The coolest thing this year is the tables are going to be at the walking mall right on Broadway, but be prepared for more crowds. They are actually getting late announcing the celebrity signing/ photo booth, always fun. Through the celeb table, I've been able to get many actors signatures on my movie collection such as Vanessa Redgrave signed "Julia" DVD, her Oscar winning role as well as Ian McKellen and the lovely Lynn Redgrave on "Gods & Monsters", and my friend got Ian to sign "Lord Of The Rings", and that would never have happened without this amazing event.