Renninger’s Mount Dora Antiques Extravaganza!
Approximately 1400 antique dealers are in Mount Dora this weekend as the Renninger’s Mount Dora Extravaganza takes place over three days, Friday 16th, Saturday 17th and Sunday 18th of January.
We hadn’t been before so we wandered along earlier today to check it out and see what was happening.
We arrived and the first tip we’d give you is to arrive early! Traffic was backed up quite a way to merely get into the parking lot. Eventually we found a parking spot at the top of a hill and we made our way down to the entrance. There is an entrance fee to pay, $10 per person on Friday and $6 per person on a Saturday and $4 per person on Sunday.
Vendors come from all over the United States and they sell their goods outdoors, indoors, under pavilions and under tents regardless of the weather situation. Fortunately for us, it was a normal Florida January day with near perfect temperatures of 71 degrees.
The event takes place on 117 acres of scenic, rolling land amid spreading oaks and garlands of Spanish moss waving gently from the branches. It’s a nice setting but an important tip is to be very prepared to walk up and down hills and inclines. Generally in Florida we’re not used to exercising our calf muscles when working out but the antiques extravaganza will test your fitness to the full. You may not notice how much walking you do as you try to find the next bargain item, but come the end of the day you’ll certainly feel you’ve had a work out!
The booths themselves are all neatly organized in rows and it’s easy to navigate around. The problem is knowing where to start as there is so much stuff to look at, to play with and to bargain for! The vendors are a friendly bunch and the vast majority are prepared to negotiate from the sticker price on items. It makes the event fun and what’s even more amusing is trying to guess the price as you walk up to an item to find out what the sticker says! In the word’s of Monte Python, “You’ve got to haggle!”
The event takes place three times a year. The first event of the year is in January, the second in February and the final event is usually in November.
If the event isn’t running when you visit Orlando, then don’t worry as Renninger’s has a Farmers & Flea market that runs every weekend Friday through Sunday at the same location.
Renninger’s Mount Dora Markets are just 30 minutes north of Orlando, on U.S. 441, just north of Route 46. They are very easy to find and Renninger’s Mount Dora official address is 20651 US-441, Mount Dora, FL 32757.
Have fun finding that bargain out there!
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