People packed the Peddler’s Fair Saturday. (Photo by Nick Sestanovich)

The street is filled to the brim with hustle and bustle alike. Vendors selling a wide array of crafts and antiques and collectibles line either side of the street. Everything from a painting to put over that empty space of wall in your house to a nice potted plant for the garden or a wonderful necklace to adorn a loved one with are available for viewing and purchase. This bazaar is lively and safe, warm in the late morning sun. This and much more help compose the feeling of the Benicia Peddler’s Fair.
The fair took place on Saturday, Aug. 12 and went from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. As it does annually, the Peddler’s Fair took up the near entirety of First Street and filled it with pedestrians looking to get some interesting purchases and a nice experience under their belts. Even when I first arrived at 9 a.m. the street was already full – the afternoon following was surely bursting with the feeling of the 25,000 patrons listed as attendees on the Peddler’s Fair website. It is often difficult to walk in a straight line down First Street to one desired point because of how crowded it is.
However, I would view the high level of foot traffic as beneficial for a range of reasons. People are out and getting some exercise and stimulating the local economy simultaneously. Having more people at Benicia’s city events is always a good thing.
Those in attendance had the opportunity to enjoy some lovely local food vendors. I am partial to the sweet potato pies that were sold there. Other options varied from breakfast foods served by the First Street Cafe, different kinds of barbeque, Mexican food, corn dogs and more. There were dozens of stands showcasing their sparkling pieces of jewelry available to patrons. Other antiques were available in the forms of clothing, art, frames, and so on. Although many vendors do charge a fair amount for their antiques, the fair is an excellent place to start a garden. Prices on flowers and succulents were extremely affordable compared to other prices often seen at hardware stores. Many vendors offered good deals on jewelry and food as well.
The fair is actually showing some signs of growth as well. In addition to the usual vendor’s spots being filled there were a few additional shops branching into the side streets just off first street. I for one would love for the Peddler’s Fair to continue thriving. Exploring the host of goods sold by the 300 vendors is always an adventure that should be experienced by anyone who loves shopping, walking, socializing, or finding deep histories behind something like an antique.

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