58th Annual Niles Antique Faire & Flea Market This Weekend!

This Sunday, August 28th, 2022, the beloved Niles Antique Faire & Flea Market returns to Fremont’s historic Niles District. It will be the 12th year I’ve attended, and the 58th year the Niles Main Street Association has put it on, so say hi if you spot me! I have been known to frequent some of the community-wide Saturday garage sales that precede the main event.

The faire runs from 6am to 4pm, but a 5am pancake breakfast awaits those intrepid enough to set a very early alarm clock. Like any treasure-hunting, the early bird gets the worm! Or the pancake, in this case. This year, there will be dozens of juried exhibitions, various antiques and collectibles vendors, 11 food booths, and an expected 30,000+ visitors!

For more information on road closures, disability access parking, bus route detours, and more, visit the official event page: https://www.niles.org/antique-faire-2022.

For those of you less familiar with Niles Canyon, I highly recommend checking out the history of the area. Niles was once dubbed “America’s first Hollywood,” and Charlie Chaplin himself made five films there! In total, over 350 silent films were produced in Niles during their heyday in the early 1900s. Yes, you read that right, 350! This rich cinematic history is remembered by the Niles Essanay Film Museum (which has reopened its store and museum on the weekends, and continues to offer online shows until its theater reopens).

By the 1950s, “talkies” (movies with sound) were being made in Southern California, and Niles was incorporated into Fremont. However, the relative seclusion from the hustle and bustle of the rest of the East Bay has allowed Niles to retain a distinct character over the years, complete with slower pace and retro Western vibes. The Niles Canyon Railway even still offers train rides on the weekends!

I hope everyone has a fun and safe weekend, whatever you end up doing!