There were some days in 2017 when we wondered if there was still going to be a Florida to visit after Hurricane Irma roared through in early September wreaking disaster and destruction in her path. The Florida Keys and much of southern Florida were the areas hardest hit, but many parts of the Sunshine State had their own heart-wrenching stories to tell.
The recovery from the catastrophic storm has been courageous and amazing and we are grateful to be able to, once again, offer you our annual Wayback Times Snowbird Guide. Despite the fact that our Canadian dollar is low and gas prices are (questionably) high, the warmth of the Florida sunshine is beckoning us to head down from the Great White North.
We have compiled a brief list of events and places you might want to visit if you’re fortunate enough to be heading to our favourite southern state. After all, who wants to just sit on the beach all day?
ANTIQUE SHOWS OF INTEREST
Jan 6,7, also Feb 17,18: Venice Florida Antique Show, held at the Venice Community Center, 326 S Nokomis Ave. Venice Florida 34285 Visit www.allmanpromotions.com
Jan 12,13,14: Sunshine City Antiques Show, held at the coliseum, 535 4th Av N St. Petersburg Fl. 33701. 100 dealers, (*one of our favourite indoor shows).
Jan 13,14, also Mar 10,11: Stuart Antique Show, at the Martin County Fairgrounds 2616 SE Dixie Hwy. Stuart Florida 34996. Just a few miles south of Fort Pierce on Florida’s east coast. visit www.floridaantiqueshows.com
Jan 19,20,21 also Feb 16,17,18: Renningers Antique Extravaganza, 20651 US Hwy, 441, Mt. Dora. Up to 1,000 dealers. visit www.renningers.net
Jan 26,27,28 also Feb 23,24,25: Vero Beach Extravaganza, held at the Indian River County Fairgrounds, 7955 58th Ave Vero Beach Fl. 32967. Over 300 inside and outside vendors. www.floridaantiqueshows.com
Jan 27,28: Sanlando Depression Glass Show and Sale, Held at the Sanford Civic Center. info call 850-673-9607.
Feb 1,2,3,4: Miami Beach Jewelry & Watch Show, 150 exhibiters, 4601 Collins Ave. Miami Beach Fl.33104 www.miamibeachjewelryshow.com
Feb 2,3,4 also Mar 2,3,4: West Palm Beach Antique Festival, South Florida Fairgrounds,9067 Southern Blvd. $8 admission, $25 Friday Early Buyer “1st Pick Admission”. visit www.wpbaf.com
Feb 3,4: Glass Through The Decades Show and Sale, 44th annual,Free seminars, free glass I.D. Hourly door prizes. Emma Lou Olsen Civic Center, 1801 NE 6th St. Pompano Beach Fl.33360.
Feb 3,4: Punta Gorda Antique Show and Sale, Charlotte County Events Center, 75 Taylor St. Punta Gorda. www.allmanpromotions.com
Feb 9,10,11: The Origional Miami Beach Antique Show, held at Miami Fair Expo Center. 10901 SW 24th St. Miami Fl. 33165 Americas largest indoor antique show. www.
Feb 10,11: Clearwater Depression Glass Club Show and Sale, held at the Minnreg Building 6340 126th Ave. in Largo Florida 33773. On site glass repair, free glass I.D. $2000 worth of door prizes to be given away.
Feb 23,24,25,26,27: Naples Art Antique & Jewelry Show, at the Commons, 850 Goodlette-Frank Rd. Naples Fl.34102 www.naplesshow.com
SOME FABULOUS FLORIDA FLEA MARKETS
EAST COAST FLORIDA
Daytona Flea and Farmers Market, 1425 Tomoka Farms Road Daytona Beach, Hwy. 92 and Interstate 4. Voted one of the top 5 Flea markets by USA Weekend
St. Augustine Flea Market, located just off I-95 at exit 311, mid way between Jacksonville and Daytona Beach. Selling new and used items, open saturdays and Sundays.
Renningers Super Flea and Farmers Market, Melbourne Fl. The Space Coast’s largest shopping attraction. Over two miles of covered shopping. Just off I-95 at exit 183. Open Fri. Sat. Sun.
CENTRAL FLORIDA
I-75 Super Flea Market, Ocala Fl. Take either exit 354 or 358off I-75 and go west to 4121 N.W. 44th Ave. Open Fri. Sat. Sun.
Volusia County Farmers Market, Deland Fl. 3000 East New York Ave.(Hwy 44) at the Deland Fairgrounds. Open Wednesdays 6am-12noon
Renningers Twin Markets, Mount Dora Fl. 20651 US Why 441. Over 200 inside antique and collectable vendors and boasting up to 1200 outside vendors on (Extravaganza Weekends).
*Webster West Side Flea Market (*now under new ownship and called Swap-O-Rama) , located half way between Tampa and Ocala. Take exit 309 from I-75 east to Webster Fl. Huge market inside and out with large antique section. Open only on Mondays. Up to 1000 vendors on holiday Mondays.
WEST COAST FLORIDA
Wagon Wheel / Mustang Flea Market, St. Petersburg Fl. 7801 Park Blvd. Since 1966. Five miles west of I-275. Over 80 acres inside and out. Two flea markets. Open Sat. Sun. Mustang Flea only on Wednesdays. www.thewagonwheelfleamarket.
Red Barn Flea Market, Bradenton Fl. Over 80,000 indoor sq. feet. 1707 First St. East Bradenton. www.redbarnfleamarket.com.
Flamingo Island Flea Market, Take exit 116 from I-75, 100 yards west to 11902 Bonita Beach Road, Bonita Springs Fl. Open Fri. Sat. Sun. www.flamingoisland.com.
Flea Masters Flea Market, Fort Myers Fl. West off I-75 (exit 138) 4135 Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd. 900 shops, open Fri. Sat. Sun. 9-5. www.fleamall.com.
ANTIQUE SHOPS
Here is a small sampling of a few antique malls/shops that we frequent in our travels and thought you might enjoy browsing through if you’re in the area.
Five Katz Antiques: 4509 South Hopkins Ave, Titusville, FL 321-567-2505
Titusville Wildwood: 3550 S. Washington Ave. (US 1) in the Sears Mall. 321-267-3737 www.wildwoodantiquemalls.com
The Vintage Thistle: 4511 S Hopkins Ave, Titusville, FL 321-750-3987
Dusty Rose Antique Mall: 1101 S Washington Ave, Titusville, FL
Indian River Antique Mall: 1433 S Babcock St. Melbourne, FL
Antique Galleries of St. Petersburg: 450 34th St.N. on US 19.
Jewel Antique Mall Belleair Beach: 2610 Jewel Road 727-585-5568
Upscale Resale Finer Consigner: 1432-1434 Main St, Dunedin
We should also mention that Florida has an abundance of incredible thrift shops and most of them are well worth a visit… and they are always operating for a worthy cause.
ADDITIONAL SUGGESTIONS
There are thousands of events and places to visit during your stay in Florida. The obvious attractions include (of course) the Disney World Magic Kingdom, Epcot Center, Universal Studios and countless other theme parks.
Other events include:
The 60th Annual Daytona Beach 500 race, Feb. 18, Daytona
The Toronto Maple Leafs play the Tampa Bay Lightning on Feb. 26 and Mar. 20 at the Amalie Arena, 401 Channelside Dr. In Tampa and you can also catch them playing the Florida Panthers at the BB&T Centre, 1 Panther Parkway in Sunrise Florida on Feb 27.
Spring Training Baseball starts on Feb. 22 (the Blue Jays are based in Dunedin) and runs until Mar. 27. Fifteen Major League teams call Florida home during this time period and full schedules are available by visiting: springtrainingconnection.com
A favourite place that we visited in 2017 was Charles Hosmer Morse Museum of American Art in Winter Park [Orlando]. If you enjoy the works of Louis Comfort Tiffany and American art pottery, you will love every second spent at this incredible museum. 445 N Park Ave, Winter Park, FL 32789, USA www.morsemuseum.org
If antiques are just one of your many pastimes and you also enjoy birding be sure to visit the 21st Annual Space Coast Birding and Wildlife Festival, held January 24 – 29, 2018 at Eastern Florida State College: www.
The college is located beside a beautiful park called “Chain of Lakes” and we can pretty much guarantee you’ll see a wonderful varity of birds there, and also some pretty hefty alligators, too! (And maybe even some wild boars.) Check it out if you have the time and enjoy a good walk.
From all of us at The Wayback Times have a great time in the sunny south and good luck antique hunting. Safe travels!
PS… Please tell them ALL you heard about them in the Wayback Times!