Canton's First Monday Trade Days

Related page: First Monday Trade Days Photo Gallery

At first glance, the Trade Days grounds looks like a huge RV park -- and a very busy one at that. Most vendors arrive in Canton by RV, bringing in their merchandise from around the country and staying in the vehicle at night. And what an assortment of merchandise it is.

"If we don't have it in Canton, you don't need it or it's not made," says Joe Collins, executive director of the Canton Chamber of Commerce. The city has been long been reaping the benefits of this Texas-sized flea market. Trade Days is the town's largest industry, spilling millions of dollars annually into the city coffers.

The atmosphere at Trade Days is part garage sale, part flea market, part carnival and all fun. Merchandise varies form antique marbles to leather gloves to restored furniture, and shoppers spend the day scanning table after table searching for a bargain or a hard-to-find item. First Mondays dates back to 1873 when court was held on the first Monday of the month. To pass the time while waiting for the judge, the townspeople began to do some trading, swapping a goat for a quilt or a a pair of wagon wheels for a load of hay. After a while, trade days became a regular event on the courthouse square.

For nearly a century, the practice continued and grew. Finally in 1965, the City of Canton decided to relocate the monthly swap meet to grounds two blocks north of the courthouse. With more room as well as promotion and organization by the city, the popularity of the trade days soared.

Today both buyers and sellers come from all over the country to attend the monthly market. The sale takes place over the four days preceding the first Monday of each month. Many vendors arrive by RV (traveling 60 miles east of Dallas to Canton on I-20) and begin setting up on Wednesday.

No sales can be made before Thursday, informally known as "Dealer's Day." Vendors wheel and deal on this day, but sales are open to the public. Thursday is a good time to arrive to beat the crowds and to have first chance at the bargains.

On Friday, Trade Days really swings into action as over 100 acres of parking fills with cars from around Texas and neighboring states. The sale picks up speed on Saturday and Sunday. Most dealers begin to pack up on Sunday evening, but some die-hard traders remain until Monday.

Many dealers return month after month, so some shoppers quickly head to a favorite vendor's tables. The atmosphere among the dealers is like a family gathering. "They're just like kinfolks," explains Joe Collins. "For a lot of them, it's like a reunion to come back to Canton. They do a lot of trading and swapping among themselves."

That family spirit carries over in the dealer's interaction with shoppers. Talk is free-flowing, with advice on collectibles given out gladly. Dealers and shoppers swap stories and enjoy good-natured bartering, an accepted practice among most of the vendors.

Wear good walking shoes at the Trade Days, because of the uneven paths and the magnitude of the grounds. And don't plan to see everything, even if you stay for the weekend. Booths sprawl endlessly across the East Texas landscape, so save some areas for your next visit.

Besides the open air market, Canton now has covered pavilions, areas set up with crafts and furniture-filled booths. Look here for refinished ice boxes, sideboards, bureaus, and more. A new civic center also provides enclosed vendor space. If you purchase large items anywhere on the grounds, the dealer can provide you with a special driving permit to allow you to bring your car around and load up.

Food concessions are sprinkled throughout the market, filling the air with the scent of sugar-coated funnel cakes, spicy Navajo tacos, or smoky Texas barbecue.

No matter what your collecting interest, you'll probably find it here at Canton -- somewhere. And, as every collector knows, the search is half the fun, especially when it's conducted among thousands of dealers in this East Texas hamlet.

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