This Flea Market is the Largest in Indiana and the Entire Midwest

Indiana is home to several superlatives (biggest, smallest, oldest, newest, etc), and none of them may be as impressive as this one. The largest flea market in Indiana is also the largest flea market in the entire Midwest region of the country. When the market is in full swing, you won't find a larger array of antiques, vintage finds, and one-of-a-kind treasures anywhere in the Hoosier state and beyond.

A (Very) Brief History of Flea Markets

Ever wonder why they are called "flea" markets? Vendors certainly don't sell fleas, but is that something they used to do back in the day? No. It's believed that the term "flea" was given to these kinds of markets in the early 1900's, when many of the second-hand items being sold very likely had fleas in them. Yikes!

The Biggest Flea Market in the Midwest

The Hoosier state's biggest flea market is roughly the size of 30 football fields, sitting on more than 40 acres of land way up north in LaGrange County, Indiana. Behold the Shipshewana Auction & Flea Market! The market boasts nearly 700 vendors, which is nearly one vendor per person in the small town of Shipshewana which, according to the 2020 census, has a population of 839 residents.

Google Maps

Flea Market Hours and Dates

If you've already heard enough to know that you want to visit the flea market in 2024, you're gonna have until springtime. The outdoor flea market is open from 8am-4pm every Tuesday and Wednesday from April 30 through September 25. They also have extended hours during holiday weekends. Shipshewana is also home to a massive auction house where every Wednesday throughout the year, you can find 6-9 auctioneers working simultaneously inside the Shipshewana Antique Auction Building.