Free Press Houston
All dames and daddy-os looking for a swell time bringing the past into the present this weekend are in luck. The third annual Houston Vintage Market and Festival celebrates the different ways those that love vintage can incorporate it into their daily lives. The Houston Vintage Market and Festival offers vintage items for sale as well as live music, performance and demonstrations throughout the day. Free Press interviewed Maria Martinez, a festival organizer, about this underground, homegrown, unique event.
FPH: Are all the vintage distributors from Houston?
MM: We are lucky enough to have vintage vendors from Austin, New Orleans AND Houston! As the event grows we’re starting to receive more interested parties from all over. We like that our market offers local and neighborly local variety.
FPH: What’s for sale? Does the market concentrate on specific time periods? Are they remakes or actual old pieces of clothing?
MM: Lots of our vendors sell and focus on just vintage (meaning at least 25 yrs and older.) From apparel, shoes, accessories, hats and purses, jewelry, ties, you name it, someone probably has it. Some vendors do sell ‘repurposed’, remodeled or reconstructed ‘vintage’. Meaning, if they have a dress but part of it is damaged, they’ll either construct something new with that material.
Our vendors are very fashion savvy and carry a variety of eras and styles. Some showcase more rare pieces while others incorporate samples or ideas on how to wear specific pieces with modern attributes. Lots of different treasures for lots of unique individual styles, for sure!
FPH: What kind of experience can people expect?
MM: Wide-eyed wonder and excitement!
For the Houston Vintage Preview Party & Fashion Show, Lindsay Halpin, of Violet Peacock, is taking the reins this year and her mad hatter influence is sure to be something to see. This year’s party is a 1920’s theme.
The day market is at the 1940 Air Terminal Museum, so ‘come fly with us’ is definitely in our scheme.
To start the experience the timer traveler will first approach and see vintage planes and cars parked outside the entrance, along with a few food vendors/trucks, and a couple of outside mobile vendors. While perusing the shiny, rare and unusual treasures, along with museum memorabilia that will be available to view, the market goers will also be intrigued by our hourly 10 minute demonstrations ‘demos’ and talks. Varying from hair & makeup tips to dance performances, professionals teaching about a hand-made trade or style; someone can’t say they didn’t learn anything new from attending the event! Our Ms. Houston Vintage 2024 pageant will be the next thing their eyes zoom in on. Beautiful confidant women showing their brightest and cutest smile to go with their favorite era outfit will knock some socks off! We’re planning some other fun stuff and our favorite retro DJ Psychedelic Sex Panther will be handling the vinyl.
FPH: Who organized the event and what is the end vision?
MM: This is the 3rd Houston Vintage as the group it is now. Dawn Bell started with the concept and a fashion show in 2024. I attended that fashion show with a friend and loved it! I was so glad there was something so cool and somewhat underground in Houston. I mean, who does ‘vintage’ shows? Gutsy people do, that’s who! At the time I had a shop called Beatniks with the third and final part of Houston Vintage, Diana Candida. We sold vintage clothes & accessories along with local art and dance shoes. Since then, Dawn, Diana and I have watched Houston Vintage blossom into a really unique anticipated event.
We promote ourselves as a fashionable event, which it is, but it’s also a very green event. Quality over quantity, appreciating pieces of iconic culture that were so well made (most here in America) that they’re still very useable today. Whether it is clothing, house wares, jewelry or any sort of other specialties, we aim to bring unique first-rate dealers together with inspired vintage enthusiast under the same roof. It’s a fun time for everyone at any age and the visually stunning surroundings this year alone are worth a Saturday afternoon.
PREVIEW PARTY/FASHION SHOW:
WHEN: Friday, Oct.4 th 7PM-11PM
WHERE: Odd Fellow Hall
115 E 14th St, Heights, Houston, TX
PRICE: $10.00 Prepurchase (Includes admission to Market & Festival)
$20.00 At the door evening of
MARKET & FESTIVAL
WHEN: Sat. Oct. 12th 11AM-7PM
WHERE: The 1940 Air Terminal Museum
8325 Travelair St., Houston, Texas 77061
PRICE: $5.00
To purchase tickets- go to:
www.houstonvintage2013.eventbrite.com
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