Punk Rock Flea Market celebrates first anniversary
Market by the Tracks in Avondale was the perfect venue for Birmingham’s Punk Rock Flea Market to celebrate its first anniversary with a big sale on Sunday, March 17, according to founder and organizer Raquel Duplin.
The venue, located on Morris Avenue next to the railroad tracks, has “a lot of space, and I love how rugged it is,” Duplin told Iron City Ink. “It’s a punk-rock atmosphere.”
The free, all-ages event began at noon and continued until 4 p.m., with about 50 vendors peddling such wares as records, zines, home décor, vintage clothing, crafts and original art work.
As always at Punk Rock Flea, that was live music. The bands Holy Youth, Son Eyes, Secret Midnight Band and 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea were scheduled to perform.
This was the fourth time that Duplin has hosted the Punk Rock Flea Market. The first three events — in March, June and October 2016 — were held at Saturn in Avondale.
Duplin said that she is unsure of the timing or location of the next event.
“I can’t really plan the next one until this one is completely over, because I have to regroup,” she said.
However, Duplin said that she will likely change venues for each market in 2017 in order to “kind of spread everything around and recognize different places and different venues around the city and get some people out to other areas.”
Markets that bring together artists and musicians are common in the north, according to Duplin, who moved to Birmingham from Pennsylvania in January 2016.
The events are “about exposing the artists who are involved, exposing just the creators and the collectors, the bands,” Duplin told Iron City Ink in May 2016. “The more people that get to see them, the happier I’ll be, because they’re all doing cool stuff. I really want people to see how cool Birmingham is and all the talent that’s here.”
The food vendors on site at Market by the Tracks were Hotbox and Cantina on Wheels.
The event sponsors were Left Hand Soap Company and This Ol' Thing Vintage, both from Tuscaloosa.
Vendors interested in taking part in the next market should contact bhmflea@gmail.com
To keep up with the timing and location of future markets, go to punkrockflea.com or facebook.com/punkrockflea.