What is the Aberfoyle Antique Market?
The Aberfoyle Antique Market is an outdoor market where a group of approximately 100 dealers gather each Sunday during the late spring, summer and early autumn months to offer a broad array of value-priced articles that date from the 1950s back through to the 1800s.

Is the Market truly outdoors?
The Market consists of over 100 fixed, wooden booths. Dealers present their merchandise both inside and outside the booths on Market Days. To travel from booth to booth, you’ll walk outdoors along compacted gravel pathways. Most of your time will indeed be spent outdoors.

What happens if it rains?
The Market is open each Sunday (within the designated season), rain or shine. Historically, the vast majority of Market Days have been rain-free, but of course it is not preventable! We recommend you check the weather forecast and bring your umbrella if precipitation is a possibility.

What is the designated operating season?
Aberfoyle Antique Market has historically operated from the last Sunday of April through to and including the last Sunday of October.

Where is Aberfoyle?
Aberfoyle is located in the village of Aberfoyle, Ontario, just a few short kilometres north of Highway #401. Please see the printable map on the Home Page for more detail.

Is there parking on site?
The Market has parking space for over 1,000 cars. Visitors are warned to note that the parking area is not supervised. Visitors are strictly responsible for the security of their vehicle and its contents. Also, visitors are warned not to leave children or pets in their vehicles unattended while on Market premises – temperatures within vehicles may reach extremes.

What are the hours of operation?
The Market opens in-season from 8:00 am through 4:00 pm each Sunday. Dealers will be open throughout these hours. This means that dealers must have their inventory displayed by 8:00 am and may not begin packing up prior to 4:00 pm. The pack-up process typically takes up to 60 minutes, depending on the dealer, during which time they are usually very willing to serve you for a last-minute purchase. However, to avoid disappointment by missing a purchase of a sought-after item, we recommend that your shopping be completed by 4:00 pm.

Is there food service on site?
Food service is on site offering diner-style fare at reasonable prices. Recently a patio has been added to the Market to allow visitors to enjoy their meal, snack and / or non-alcoholic beverage within a restful atmosphere.

Who enjoys shopping at the Market?
Virtually everyone enjoys shopping at the Market. However, 85% of those visiting the Market are adults without children. Quite often these adults are shopping with their spouse or friends. Children are of course welcome, and an unsupervised play area has been set up to accommodate these young visitors. As noted however, the area is unsupervised and children must be attended by a responsible adult when using the area. Pets are also welcome, and most weeks will see a number of dogs, possibly a parrot or two and a ferret the odd weekend. When bringing a pet, please ensure that they are properly leashed and if necessary muzzled. You are responsible for your pet and for any possible injury or damage that they may cause, so please act accordingly. Scooping after your pet is an absolute requirement.

Is the Market wheelchair accessible?
The majority of the grounds at Aberfoyle is wheelchair-accessible. The pathways, however, are not paved, so navigating the walks may prove to be somewhat tiresome. It may be helpful to bring along an energetic assistant to help with the navigation of the paths.

How old is the Market?
The Market has been operating continuously in the village of Aberfoyle since 1961. Our research indicates that this entitles the Market to boast ‘Canada’s Oldest’ outdoor antique market.

What can I expect to find when I visit the Market?
The Market is similar to a shopping mall in that it consists of a large number of independent dealers selling a vast array of general merchandise. But that is where the similarity ends. Aberfoyle is very unique. There are no chain stores at Aberfoyle. Each booth is operated by an independent dealer who spends much of each week searching out items that were manufactured decades earlier. These are interesting and unique products that typically represent exceptional value to the visitor. At Aberfoyle there is no sterile environment – all about you is alive and dynamic. Every booth may excite and delight with exceptional finds, be it a discovered treasure or a childhood memory recalled. Items offered for sale may be in useable condition or in the rough.

What’s the difference between “useable” and “in the rough”?
Useable condition is where an item may be purchased, taken home and put to use as is. An item in the rough means that the item may require some work or repair to make it useable in the manner intended. Items in useable condition are typically priced higher than items in the rough. Items in the rough typically represent the best values at the Market. Visitors usually benefit the most from these values if they have the patience and the skill to bring these items back to useful service. Many dealers can provide you with a basic understanding of what’s necessary to repair such items or direct you to a service that may assist in repairing them. A note of caution, though, to those who acquire antiques the value of an antique is usually twofold. One part of the value is in the design and quality of the product itself. The other part of the value is in the evidence of wear and usage of the item. Refinishing an item, or cleaning it to a point where the evidence of daily use is removed, will typically seriously devalue your purchase. So be careful and enquire of the dealer the best way to approach your project.

Are prices marked? Can they be negotiated?
While most products will be priced, some may not. Also, for most dealers, the marked price is not always the final price. No, there are no hidden charges, but many dealers are ready to negotiate a lower price with their customer. How much lower will always vary and this is a large part of the charm of Aberfoyle – negotiating the deal! Negotiating or bartering is as old as commerce and civilization itself. At Aberfoyle, you negotiate your own best deal. Savings of 5, 10, 15 or 20% are the usual order of the day. But if the circumstances are right, you may be able to negotiate an even better deal. This is strictly between you and the dealer. Remember also that the dealers are still governed by the retail tax laws and are required to pay both the GST and PST. Prior to negotiating your deal we recommend that you enquire if the taxes are extra or will be paid for by the dealer on your behalf. If they will pay these taxes on your behalf, you’re already ahead 13% – so that an additional savings of 5 to 20% if you are able to negotiate it is looking pretty good!

What are the payment options at the Market?
Cash is the most common method of payment. A few dealers may offer credit card services and even fewer debit card services. It’s best to come to the Market prepared to pay cash. If you want to make a purchase but don’t have sufficient cash, there is an ABM on the premises located at the office. At times, though, demand for cash is overwhelming and the machine may become unavailable. As an option, you can always offer to the dealer to place a deposit on the item of choice and return later in the day or the following week to pay the balance. Acceptable arrangements will vary by dealer, and you’ll need to discuss the options that seem most suitable to both parties.

Is delivery service available for larger items?
Many dealers offering larger pieces, especially furniture, are able to arrange delivery for you. This may be included in the price of the object or may entail an additional charge. Prior to negotiating your deal, we recommend you enquire about the type of delivery offered and related charges.

What types of products are offered at the Market?
The offering at the Market is extremely diverse. The commonality of the products is that they are old with the intrinsic value of the items in the quality of their manufacture, their artistic design, the nostalgia of a bygone era or their commemoration of an event. Articles cover virtually every aspect of daily life and every room in the house with the exception of electronics (these being attributable to a more modern era). A few dealers specialize in clothing and are able to offer some very chic pieces.

Who shops at Aberfoyle?
There was a time when serious collectors were the order of the day at Aberfoyle. Instead today it is the serious and not-so-serious designer, either professional or personal, who makes Aberfoyle a frequent habit. While some say that antiques are too old-fashioned, others understand that an antique is never out of style. It’s how the antique is used that determines its stylishness. An overabundance of antiques no longer has much style. But a few carefully selected pieces used to accent the décor of each room will act as an anchor among the streamlined design of today’s décor, helping to bring the room together. So too will the antique typically add a delightful conversation topic to any event – not only the item itself, but the adventure you will be able to relay in the discovery of your precious find. Also, whereas many items within your décor will depreciate in value, over time your antique will normally appreciate and so represents a wise investment.

How many dealers operate at Aberfoyle?
There are roughly 80 permanent dealers participating each week at Aberfoyle. They have their ‘shops’ in the fixed booths. Some of these dealers operate within 2, 3 or even more booths due to the extent of their offering. There are also approximately 20 visiting dealers participating each week. These dealers set up in the parking lot area and may or may not be present each week. The diversity of the dealers, both permanent and visiting, helps to ensure that the Market visitor will always have a unique experience.

Why are there admission fees to the Market?
Aberfoyle Antique Market is a private market and as such charges a nominal admission fee for visitor entry. These admission fees help to maintain the grounds and importantly also keep dealer rents low. With lower rents, the dealers are able to pass on to their customers better values in the way of pricing.

What do visitors find so special about the Market?
Recently we asked our visitors exactly that. The overwhelming response was that they found the Market to be entertaining. The next highest response was that the atmosphere lent itself very well to relieving tension. Many also felt that it was a healthful environment, being able to stroll outdoors at a leisurely pace. Finally, when asked if they would recommend the Market to others, 99% claimed they indeed would do so. Our 1% dissenter during the two separate surveys had a disagreement with his spouse over a purchase.

At times there are Saturday events at the Market. What is the association with these events?
In the past, numerous shows were held at the Market that were produced and sponsored by a separate company. Over time the offering of these shows lacked consistency. Confusion between these shows and the Aberfoyle Antique Market was common. To alleviate the inconsistency of these shows, as of September 2008 the Aberfoyle Antique Market will produce and sponsor two shows annually – a ‘Fall Special’ followed by a ‘Spring Special’. Further information concerning these events can be found elsewhere on this site.