About the Show

Since the Weston Antiques Show's inception, more than 72,000 attendees have enjoyed the show and $750,000 has been raised for historic preservation. Peter Pap, antique oriental rug dealer exhibiting at the show for twenty-eight years, put it well when he said, �It is a phenomenon.�

The Weston Antiques Show, one of the oldest shows in the country and

widely regarded as one of the best small shows, is distinguished by its

dealers, location, attendees, community support, and where the proceeds go.

Most shows are mainly country, Americana, or some other specialty. They have a �stable of dealers', often from that region, who do shows produced by that show manager. Not ours. We feature dealers from across the country with a wide variety of antiques � American, English, country, formal, furniture, accessories, and fine art. And, unlike most shows, we take the risk out of buying - our exhibitors guarantee what they sell.

Most shows are in a school gymnasium, skating rink, hotel, or even outside. They have large rectangular booths. Not ours. We are in a Greek revival building with odd angles, ceiling heights, and room sizes. We have silver in the closet, rugs on seat backs and theatre walls, paintings in the lobby, linens in dressing rooms, and furniture and accessories throughout. All this, we feel, adds to the charm of the show.

Most shows draw on urban areas or the trade. Not ours. Our little town swells to welcome over 2,000 attendees who come from near and far. Some have attended for decades and others are first-timers. Some are collectors or dealers and others are looking for that perfect piece for their home in the area or a neighboring state. All enjoy our quintessential Vermont town at the height of fall foliage.

A rarity among antiques shows today, volunteers still organize and produce our show. Many are active throughout the year lining up dealers and doing marketing. Others get involved at show time - staffing the box office, greeting attendees, arranging flowers, or a myriad of other activities. We appreciate the generous support of our corporate sponsors and dozens of area small businesses who contribute products and services.

Proceeds from most shows leave the area. Not ours. We provide more than half the funds needed to maintain the treasures that are the very heart of Weston. Unlike other towns whose pristine buildings and fields are maintained by private foundations or funded by municipal or state governments, we preserve our museums, community buildings, and parks through volunteer efforts such as the Weston Antiques Show.

The Weston Antiques Show is a Benefit for the Historic Preservation of

WESTON PLAYHOUSE

The Weston Playhouse provides a variety of social, civic, educational, and cultural events for the village, its neighbors, and friends. It is home to the Vermont's oldest professional theatre company, the Weston Playhouse Theatre Company. This award-winning theatre company serves 30,000 theatre-goers annually. It is also the venue for Town Meeting, Weston Antiques Show and Craft Show and various public and private functions.

FARRAR-MANSUR MUSEUM

Constructed in 1795-97, the Farrar-Mansur Museum is the oldest house in the village. Originally a home and tavern for stagecoach travelers, it now houses a collection of early furnishings, paintings and artifacts, all of which were made or used in Weston. The Weston Historical Society, founded in 1966, has curatorial responsibility for the museums and has received statewide recognition for the interpretative presentation of their collections.

OLD MILL MUSEUM & DAM

Built in 1780 as a sawmill and later adapted to a grist mill, it produced lumber, farm tools, grain and even electricity for many Weston homes and farms. Destroyed by fire in 1900 and rebuilt, fire struck again in 1936. The 100-year flood in 1973 wreaked more havoc. After undergoing reconstruction in 1998, today it is a museum with a renowned collection of machinery and tools from Weston�s industrial and farming past.

CRAFT BUILDING

One of the earliest structures in Weston, exactly when it was built, and by whom, is not known. It was the town firehouse in the early 1900's. In 1936 the newly formed Vermont Guild of Old Time Crafts and Industries established a working museum for people to visit. Now it is home to the Weston Band Wagon, customized in 1880 for the Cornet Band and meticulously restored in 1990.

COLD SPRING BROOK PARK

Today a serene setting of grass, shade trees, ponds, and waterfalls, Cold Spring Brook Park was the heart of Weston's commercial and industrial core in the 19th century. A butter tub and cheese box factory, a wool carding and fulling mill, and a tannery were along the brook. An earthen dam upstream powered the mills.

Photos courtesy of Robert Aldrich