The Acorn Antique and Vintage show has been drawing vendors and antiquaries to Ogden for nearly 30 years. Acorn held its fall show over the weekend at the Golden Spike Arena with over 60 vendors in attendance.
Increasing crowds and a wait-list of vendors wanting to be a part of the show prompted Acorn Antique and Vintage Show to expand to three shows per year to accommodate their growing popularity.
Event coordinator Heidi Wilcock says there is something for everyone at the antique show. The variety of collectors, admirers and rummagers keep the show going.
“It’s not the cookie-cutter RC Willey or fake Tai Pan stuff,” said Wilcock, “It’s authentic and it has a history behind it.”
Wilcock inherited the Acorn Antique and Vintage show from her mother, Georgia Clasen, who had an affinity for all things antique. The name Acorn comes from Clasen and her business partner, JoAnn Perucca, who believed they were “nuts” to start doing an antique show. Thirty years later, the show is still one of the biggest antique exhibitions in Ogden.
With the holiday season approaching, Wilcock believes a lot of people are looking for one-of-a-kind items for gifts and decorations.
“Everyone’s unique,” said Wilcock, “[Antiques] are more thoughtful than walking into Walmart and buying something commercial.”
The trendiness of upcycling, recycling and repurposing has created an increase in younger attendees.
“I like that everything is a novelty and you can see the craftsmanship,” said Shaylyn Karician, 22, of Ogden. “None of our stuff from this day and age could ever become an antique because everything is particle board, Styrofoam or plastic.”
Many of the vendors have attended Acorn Antique and Vintage for several years, but some have been coming to the show since it began in 1986.
Rad Barnhart has been traveling from Montana to be a part of the show since day one. Although Barnhart says the show is not as prolific as it was 10 years ago, he still enjoys attending the show to connect with other vendors and add to his collection.
“I like to associate history with a lot of the items I collect,” said Barnhart.
Denise Wilson-Gamble, a vendor at the show said she finds pleasure in hearing her customer’s backstories and finding the items that they are looking for before they are thrown out.
“In this day in age, it’s about being green,” said Wilson-Gamble. “You can recycle and put new life into it.”
Acorn Antique and Vintage will host its spring show on February 13th and 14th at the Golden Spike Arena. Admission is $6 with free parking.
For more information, visit www.acornantiqueshow.com or find them on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/acorn.antique.show
