The flea market scene in Pittsburgh

The flea market scene in Pittsburgh:

Flea markets are big in Pittsburgh, with vendors peddling a variety of goods from baseball cards to antique furniture and everything in between. Fortunately for Pittsburghers, you can usually find a flea market without having to drive very far. Just beyond the bounds of downtown, there are several flea markets and if you check your local newspapers and event calendars, you're bound to find temporary flea markets scattered nearby. If you're new to the fleascape, get started with this list of six flea markets.

 For more than 30 years, Allegheny-Kiski Historical Society Flea-Tique has been providing joy to scores of secondhand shoppers. The market is open the third Sunday of every month May through October and is hosted in the beautiful park-like grounds of the Tour-Ed Mine Museum in Tarentum, making it a fun way to spend a Sunday.

Flea-Tique's specialty is antiques and collectibles, so it's a must  for anyone collector or those who love vintage wares. In addition to the feel good vibes you get from snagging a good deal, shoppers and vendors at Flea-Tique can also feel good about supporting a cause. The $3 entry fee for shoppers and the table fee collected from vendors benefit the Allegheny-Kiski Historical Society and serves as the society's largest source of income.

Another long-standing flea market, Trader Jack's Flea Market in Bridgeville, PA, has been providing a home for peddlers and shoppers for more than 20 years. The market located on Steen Roard boasts an indoor and outdoor shopping space, as well as a food court to give shoppers a pick-me-up to make it through the hundreds of vendors. Trader Jack's is open every Saturday and Sunday from 6 AM to 3 PM all year long. The indoor market is housed within a giant warehouse and features a variety of vendors who make Trader Jack's their permanent home. The outdoor portion of the market is held on a grassy plot of land outside the warehouse and features rows upon rows of vendors that often change each weekend in the summer months.  The market features a variety of used and vintage furniture, home goods, tools, toys and more. It also hosts a variety of crafters who hawk their homemade wares including candles, jewelry, soaps, and décor.

In North Versailles, the thrifty-minded can double dip and enjoy two flea markets in town. Rossi's Pop-Up Market Place features more than 100 vendors and is housed within a 100,000 square foot retail space on Loews Drive. The market is open every Saturday and Sunday from 8 AM to 4 PM year-round. Comparable to what shoppers would find in the beloved Strip District, Rossi's vendors include black and gold  apparel, jewelry, handbags, clothing, baked goods, hot foods, produce, and more. Many of the vendors sell new, unused, and homemade items, but there are also some booths that sell collectibles and antiques like comic books, coins, baseball cards, furniture, housewares, and toys.

Pittsburgh Super Flea is the second market that calls the North Versailles area home. The indoor/outdoor market is on East Pittsburgh McKeesport Boulevard in an old movie theater. It's open every Saturday and Sunday year-round. With 300 or more vendors, there's truly a little bit of everything. Unlike Rossi's, the Super Flea is more of a traditional flea market with the majority of the vendors selling secondhand items including antiques, collectibles, old furniture, house wares, books, jewelry and more. Vendors are set up in each of the theater's show rooms making it a unique shopping experience, and during the summer months many additional vendors, including fresh produce sellers, also setup shop outside in the parking lot. With very little information about the Pittsburgh Super Flea on the internet and an apparently disconnected phone number, it's also a hidden gem for those looking to haggle for a good deal and find some unique items.

West of downtown in Beaver Falls, a former drive-in movie theater on Mercer Road is now home toSpotlight 88 Flea Market. The 21 acres of green space features vendors selling antiques, tools, crafts, housewares, baked goods, hot foods, and fresh produce, as well as a variety of other items. Open every Saturday and Sunday, 9 AM to 4 PM from April to Christmas, Spotlight 88 also hosts a variety of events like car cruises, craft shows, and special holiday events including Christmas in July, Oktoberfest, and a Halloween party. They even sell Christmas trees starting in November. The vendor selection at Spotlight 88  isn't quite as extensive as Trader Jack's or Flea-Tique, but it's definitely worth a look if you don't have a lot of time to trudge through hundreds of vendors  or are looking for a new place to score some second-hand goodies.

If you're feeling a little adventurous, you may also want to check out Rogers Community Auction Open Air Market, a year-round indoor/outdoor market in Rogers, OH, a little more than an hour north west from downtown Pittsburgh. This is the granddaddy of flea markets with more than 1,600 vendors arranged along five miles of gravel pathway. The catch is the Open Air Market is only open on Fridays, 7 AM to 10 PM, with the majority of vendors closing up shop before 6:30 PM. However, if you have the day off, it's worth the trip. There are a variety of antiques, collectibles, vintage pieces, fresh produce, cheeses, meats, hot foods, toys, tools, housewares, and very likely anything else you could imagine.

And finally, this recommendation from our Pop Filter editor who touts the annual Pittsburgh Vintage Mixer as the place to shop for vintage and retro-inspired goods, such as fashion, housewares, vinyl, decor, artwork, accessories, and collectibles. See more here on this event that happens every spring.

These markets are only a sampling of the flea markets that set up shop around town and sometimes discovering a new market is half the adventure. So, we invite you to share your secondhand secrets with us. Which flea markets are your favorite to score some unique finds?