Weather perfect as Hamilton Flea opens in new location

Mother Nature cooperated, providing a bright, sunny Saturday as the Hamilton Flea opened its second season at its new Marcum Park location.

“We finally have good weather,” said Lauren Smallwood, one of the event organizers. “Our first May event last year was really cold, but not today. Mother Nature owed us one.”

“We’re really happy to be in German Village,” she said. “This is a great location.”

Smallwood said the monthly event will be held on the second Saturday of the month through September. People visited the 45 vendors ranging from homemade items to local craft beer and food trucks that circled Marcum Park. As friends and neighbors caught up with each other, others shopped and children took advantages of the park’s amenities such as its splash pad.

Retired judge Eva Kessler spent a couple of hours at the event as a volunteer.

“It’s been great. Nice weather, big crowd and people are in a good mood,” she said. “This was good on Third Street (the previous location), but this is really nice.”

Steve Timmer of the Hamilton Park Conservancy, said “it turned out to be a perfect day today. It’s been steady since 10 a.m.”

Timmer also said the new Marcum Park location is decieving because the event is more spread out than you realize and there were actually a lot more people there.

Shannon Motzer of Doodlebug, a traveling boutique that features handmade items for babies and small children, attended her first Hamilton Flea.

“Opening day is the best day of anything,” she said as people looked at her merchandise.

Lynne Briggs, a lifelong Hamiltonian, watched children play at the Marcum Park splash pad.

“I love it,” she said. “It’s something downtown Hamilton has needed. Thank God for the Marcum family. Look at all the smiling faces. This is wonderful, sheer happiness.”

Briggs said she loves the changes happening in Hamilton.

“You always knew there was potential (in Hamilton), but things have happened in the past two years,” she said. “There have been a lot of good changes in town. People are willing to invest in town and I hope it catches on.”

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