What Happened to Maine’s Largest Flea Market?

Mainers love a good deal.

We also love the sense of adventure we get from shopping at yard sales, garage sales, and flea markets.  You never know what treasures you are going to find.  It could be a DVD of the movie you and your spouse saw on your first date, a vintage Nintendo, or an antique that is worth way more than the price on that tag.

For years, a sprawling flea market in Woolwich was the king of Maine flea markets.

Sadly, it looks as though that iconic flea market has closed for good.

The Montsweag Flea Market

This iconic flea market, which covered several acres, first opened on Mother’s Day in 1977.

For over four decades, the flea market (located in a field just off Route 1) welcomed bargain hunters from all over the world.  Sure, there were plenty of locals who loved the place, but there were also tens of thousands of tourists who stumbled across this hidden gem during their vacation.

The seasonal flea market generally operated from mid-May through late fall.

The Fleamapket website said of the flea market, in part:

Many of the stallholders at the Montsweag flea market are incredibly specialized in their wares, often having stalls at permanent markets in nearby locations or even a small shop for their wares. This can make for some great conversations, especially for those shoppers who are looking for specific items or have a really qualified interest in antique goods.

In addition to the many vendors, the flea market had food vendors and lots of free parking.

The flea market was very successful for many decades.  When Norma Scopino, the founder, passed away in 2012, her daughter Gena picked up the reins and continued to run the flea market.

The Montsweag Flea Market was closed during the summer of 2020 due to the pandemic, but reopened in May of 2021.  Apparently, it also ran in 2022, but never opened in 2023.

What happened to the flea market?

According to an article in the Boothbay Register, it appears that Gena Kilkenney passed away in Florida in November of 2022.

With no one to run the flea market, it has remained closed.

The flea market at Crystal Falls

If you need to get your flea market fix, there are alternatives.  For example, there will be a flea market at Crystal Falls in Chelsea this summer.  Starting May 8, they’ll be open Wednesday through Sunday.