My Thanksgiving tradition is not football or pie-baking. It’s ambling around rural Central Florida, hunting for vintage and antiques at the Renningers Antique & Collector’s Extravaganza in Mount Dora.
The weekend just before America tucks in for turkey dinner is when this vintage and antique center holds its first “Extravaganza” of the winter season (don’t worry if you miss the November weekend, there are two more to come in January and February). Renningers has put Mount Dora on the map as one of the best antiquing towns in Florida. And although its enclosed pavilions are open every weekend; it’s the Extravaganza weekends that multiply the antiques on offer, attracting sellers from across the country to sprawl their wares out in the surrounding fields.
What Is Renningers?
As an avid antiquer and native Central Floridian, I’ve been coming to Renninger’s Extravaganzas with my mother and grandmother for years. The big three-day festival is sprawling and will take you a full day, perhaps two, to browse through the over 800 vendors.
Renningers is much like other famous antique festivals such as Round Top and Brimfield. However, I find this Florida fair is equal parts picker’s paradise mixed with finely curated American and European antique dealers. I also notice better prices. Vendors are actually eager to sell their collections and make a deal. I’ve observed in recent years that some antique resellers pull up First Dibs listings as proof that they shouldn’t budge on a price. But at Renningers, the sellers are open to hearing reasonable offers to move product and lighten their inventory for their drive home.
If it’s your first time going to Renningers this year, be it in November, January, or February. There are a few things you should know before you go. Here are my top tips.
Know Before You Go
The festival is held over three days, and is a ticketed event. Bring cash and pay upon entry where you’ll get a wristband. The cost of the ticket includes parking and has tiered pricing depending on which day of the festival you attend. Want to get there at the crack of dawn on the first day and get a first look at all the inventory? Then you’ll need to pay the $10 price for Friday entry. On Saturday it drops to $6, and on Sunday $4. But if you want to attend more than one day, spring for the $15 three-day pass.
What To Bring
The Renningers property is over 130 acres of Florida scrub, dotted with moss-draped ancient live oaks. You may not be traversing the entire property (which includes room for parking and a flea market), but you will be getting a lot of steps in, and not all areas of the property are shaded.
Weather in November in Central Florida can be unpredictable. I’ve attended on sweltering weekends, and other years it’s been the quintessential crisp fall day. One year I came on a damp, drizzly day and got some of the best deals because vendors wanted to pack up early and go home. Check the weather and make sure you are prepared for an unexpected heat wave or shower. Here’s my list of things I bring for a safe and enjoyable day at the festival.
Sun Hat: Even if it’s cool out, when Florida’s sun is shining you can still get burned.
Poncho or Umbrella: Rain showers in late November are uncommon, but always come prepared with rain gear so you don’t get soggy.
Fat-Wheeled Wagon: If you find heavy treasures along your hunt, you don’t want to lug them around in a bag. Get a wide-wheeled wagon that can handle Florida’s sandy soft dirt.
Comfortable Walking Shoes: You’ll be on your feet all day, so come prepared in comfy close-toed shoes with insoles.
Water: You can purchase bottled water at the festival (in addition to fair food), but I always travel with an insulated bottle of my own.
Cash: Many vendors today take forms of digital payment, but cash is almost always preferred and can sometimes garner you a lower price.
Hand Sanitizer or Wet Wipes: You’ll be handling and rummaging around in a lot of odd items, so bring hand sanitizer so you don’t have to run across the fair looking for running water.
How To Get Around
The most important thing to know about Renningers Extravaganza is that there are two main sections—the visiting vendors which are sprawled out in the fields and the resident vendors that have booths year-round at the onsite hangars and indoor pavilions.
Typically, the resident vendors will have slightly higher prices than the visiting vendors, but not always! I recommend walking through both sections as you’ll truly never know what you find.
Elizabeth W. Kearley/Getty
Mount Dora, Florida.What To Do in Mount Dora
If you want to make a weekend getaway out of shopping the Extravaganza, then book yourself a three-day stay in Mount Dora. The charming small Florida town is known for its arts, theatre, and culture, and you’ll thank yourself for having a nearby base to crash after a long day on your feet.
The Lakeside Inn is Mount Dora’s historic hotel, and the oldest operating hotel in the state of Florida! The large yellow property overlooks the lake and has a wide southern-style verandah.
Mount Dora’s food scene is far more than chain restaurants and diners. Make a reservation at 1921 Mount Dora for dinner, or stop in for appetizers and a drink at their bar.
Plan your entire long weekend with our Small Town Guide to Mount Dora.
Read the original article on Southern Living