While the Reno Antique Faire is done for now for its outdoor iterations, it will be having an upcoming gathering on December 21st at the National Bowling Stadium from 2 to 7 p.m. with over 100 vendors.
In the meantime, reporter Emilio Milo filed this report about what has become one of the nicest, laid back daytime events downtown has to offer.
This past Sunday in the early morning, people were approaching a closed off Virginia Street to attend the last Reno Antique Faire of the season.
Closed from 4th to 2nd with over 140 vendors present, attendees browsed a wide selection of items on sale that included a variety of items.
Ranging from vintage clothing, unique home decor, and items you might have never expected to see for sale, the event was a true treasure trove.
“Oh my wife just forced me to buy a vintage, I don't even know what it is, a shot dispenser?,” said Reno local Meikin Gasuad in describing a surprising purchase he and his wife made that morning.
“It's like a shot glass carousel with a central pump in the center. And so you just kind of use that pump and you can pump liquor right into shot glasses, it's ridiculous,” he said beaming.
The curious find brought Gasuad to reflect on the event and what a positive impact the faire has brought to town.
“It's like a nice way to kind of get out. And I've been running into a lot of people I know as well. And in any community event like this, where you can actually be outdoors in Reno and kind of see a big market like this antique fair, I think it's always fun,” he said.
That’s what the founder of the Reno Antique Faire, Laura Jasorka, hoped would be recognized in her efforts in bringing the faire to life.
"So I love vintage and antiques and buying reusable, so that's one thing. But it's also the community and Reno as itself,” says Jasorka.
“[Reno] needed this, and being someone who drove to Sacramento and San Francisco for many years to vend. I always just, I wished this was here basically.”
Jasorka says support from city officials helped in making the event possible.
“The city of Reno also has been very kind to me and really allowed me to do this and believed in me,” Jasorkas states.
“Everything just fell into place and it was perfect timing. And so, seeing the community come together and be a part of that sustainable concept. And also, my love for antiques and vintage was basically how I got here.”
Jasorka also cites how this is a great opportunity to bring business into town, as vendors are coming from out-of-state to come and sell here.
“So bringing these people here, being a part of that, gaining tourism, bringing back downtown, revitalizing that is, it's been amazing to see the community come together,” Jasorka explains.
“And it's now at this point to see that a lot of my vendors are not just Reno vendors. I have people from Sacramento here and San Francisco.”
One of the vendors coming from out-of-state is Bay-area based vendor Karina Soto. For Soto, this was her fourth time selling here at the faire.
“We actually used to live out in Nevada. So we kind of have a soft spot for Nevada,” says Soto.
“And this is the closest market to us that we can come to that's also not crazy far. But we just love the vibe here, the people, and just the crowd. It’s perfect.”
Soto sells a variety of items, including vintage clothes and toys. A specific item she really adores is a Beetle Bailey sweatshirt, which is on display in her tent.
“It's reversible so it's like a two in one but it's also all the colors and like it's more than just a piece of clothing like you can sit down and read it,” Soto explains.
“[You] can talk about it with a bunch of people, like pieces like that where you can have conversations with someone and kind of connect over a piece.”
Although it is the last event of the season, the faire still plans on hosting an event on December 21st at the National Bowling Stadium, and will return next year in April.
Jasorka says she guarantees people attending will enjoy the experience.
“Come walk, be a part of something that's unique and be a part of the sustainability concept and find yourself quality items instead of shopping at Temu,” she concluded.