Del Mar Antique Show
Encyclopedia
Now in its 51st year, the Del Mar Antique Show & Sale is the longest running family-owned indoor antique show in California and the largest south of San Francisco, with over 65000 square feet (6,038.7 m²) of exhibition space.
in the seaside city of Del Mar, California
, 20 miles north of San Diego. It was established in 1961 by Joseph and Bettye Grimes, who at one time had shows all over the Southern California region, known as the Calendar Shows. The Grimes advertised the Del Mar Antique Show as having everything "from tin to Tiffany". Today, the show, which is open to the public for a fee, is owned and operated by the Grimes' son, Michael.
members. Each show is themed. For example, the theme for a 2010 show was "Masquerade: A Venice Carnivale at Del Mar." In 2007, organizer and producer Michael Grimes produced a similar themed show, named the Wild West Expo, which Today's Vintage newspaper described as the "Old West starring alongside traditional antiques."
The Del Mar Antique Show attracts 250 antique dealers from across the western United States. During the downturn in the economy, the 2009 show had 20 percent less exhibitors than usual. But participation over the next two years increased again, surpassing the 2009 number.
In 2010, Grimes organized The Green Meets Green Expo, also held at the Del Mar Fairgrounds. The San Diego Union-Tribune wrote that the expo was "where old and new converge with an eco-friendly theme."
History
The show is held at the Del Mar FairgroundsDel Mar Fairgrounds
The Del Mar Fairgrounds is a property that is the site of the annual San Diego County Fair . Its Del Mar Racetrack was built by the Thoroughbred Club in 1937 by founding members Bing Crosby and Pat O'Brien with Paramount Studios as corporate sponsor.The fairgrounds is owned by the State of...
in the seaside city of Del Mar, California
Del Mar, California
Del Mar is an upscale beach town in San Diego County, California. The population was 4,161 at the 2010 census, down from 4,389 at the 2000 census. The San Diego County Fair is hosted on the Del Mar Fairgrounds every summer. Del Mar is Spanish for "of the sea" or "by the sea", because it is located...
, 20 miles north of San Diego. It was established in 1961 by Joseph and Bettye Grimes, who at one time had shows all over the Southern California region, known as the Calendar Shows. The Grimes advertised the Del Mar Antique Show as having everything "from tin to Tiffany". Today, the show, which is open to the public for a fee, is owned and operated by the Grimes' son, Michael.
Show highlights
Typically visiting the shows, where up to 7,000 people attend, are costumed members of the San Diego Costume Guild and Red Hat SocietyRed Hat Society
The Red Hat Society is a social organization originally founded in 1998 for women age 50 and beyond, but now open to women of all ages. As of August 2010, there are over 40,000 chapters in the United States and 29 other countries.-History:...
members. Each show is themed. For example, the theme for a 2010 show was "Masquerade: A Venice Carnivale at Del Mar." In 2007, organizer and producer Michael Grimes produced a similar themed show, named the Wild West Expo, which Today's Vintage newspaper described as the "Old West starring alongside traditional antiques."
The Del Mar Antique Show attracts 250 antique dealers from across the western United States. During the downturn in the economy, the 2009 show had 20 percent less exhibitors than usual. But participation over the next two years increased again, surpassing the 2009 number.
In 2010, Grimes organized The Green Meets Green Expo, also held at the Del Mar Fairgrounds. The San Diego Union-Tribune wrote that the expo was "where old and new converge with an eco-friendly theme."