IOWA CITY — The 10th annual (actually 11 years but no show in 2020) Ackerman’s July 4th Stars & Stripes Antique and Vintage Market will once again be held at the Johnson County Fairgrounds located just off the Avenue Of The Saints at Exit 89 then north 1/2 mile to the fairgrounds.
Thousands of eager buyers and collectors of all types of items attend each year and arrive a bit ahead of the official starting time of 7 a.m. The show continues till 3 p.m.
Admission to this large and wonderful show is only $5 per person and free parking is available close to the complex of buildings.
Please note that this show is only on July 4th and is well worth attending from any distance.
Three buildings full of antiques of all types will await the thousands of eager buyers who attend annually and this year should be no exception. Outdoor dealers will be set up around the complex of buildings as well.
Categories of items that will be found will be lots of nice older and primitive furniture, stoneware and pottery, antique and vintage jewelry, antique quilts, old farm items, galvanized items of all types and ages, lots of old postcards and ephemera, linens and lace, a booth of sports cards and related collectable items, woodenware, cast iron items, lots of vintage items (1930’s thru 1970’s) nice glassware, artwork, pottery, and so many more great items of antique nature being represented.
This show is the outgrowth of the long running Hanson’s Grove Antique Show held at Solon Iowa from about 1979 to 2014 when Ackerman’s took over the void in the area with the absence of the show and transformed it to the Johnson County Fairgrounds at Iowa City.
In addition to being the largest of the area shows, and a huge draw to the area with the great variety of items for sale, there will also be a wonderful food stand/lunch counter featuring Sweetings Catering (Jerry & Marge) from Riverside. The Sweetings have done catering for many, many years and offer mouthwatering food (usually brats, burgers, tenderloins, hot dogs, and the like) along with many varieties of beverages to quench the thirst of the many buyers who attend.
Music also will be available for your listening and dancing enjoyment in the round open sided grain bin close to the lunch stand. Long time musician and accordionist Lyle Beaver (now playing his 72nd year) will be entertaining with wonderful music leaning to old time standards, rock and roll, polka, waltzes, Cajun, and even gospel and patriotic selections. Lyle will draw a crowd of his own that attends the show each year and is tentatively scheduled from about 9:30 to noon or a bit past.
Do not miss this wonderful and large annual Antique & Vintage Market at the Johnson County Fairgrounds at the southwest edge of Iowa City!