Local Art and Flea Markets Near Plum Creek

The local art community in Central Texas is unique in that it has the funky flavor of Austin but also a whole heap of southern, Texas charm. There are numerous venues in and around Kyle at which local artists and craftspeople share their creations with the community. Whether you’re looking for jewelry, paintings, sculptures or antiques, these markets will offer you the chance to find the hidden treasure you’re looking for.

 

Photo courtesy of Art Squared Arts Market

Art Squared Arts Market

The Art Squared Arts Market in San Marcos happens every second Saturday. From humble beginnings in 2012, this market has grown and moved to the San Marcos Downtown Square, where it offers emerging and established artists a platform to exhibit and sell their handcrafted art. The market is open from 9am to 4pm and also features live music, so bring a lawn chair or blanket to enjoy a day of music and art. If you’re an artist looking for a place to sell your wares, applications for booths are open for future Art Squared events.

Photo courtesy of Austin 360

Kyle Flea Market

Right here in Kyle the Kyle Flea Market is open on weekends from 9am to 5pm. Known for it’s weird, surprising, and sometimes messy shopping, this market certainly has a lot of character. Established in 1980, the Kyle Flea Market is a place for the people in the community to buy, sell, and trade virtually anything and everything. The market also features Open-Air Swap Meet tables in front of the facility, available on a first-come, first-serve basis. A variety of restaurants throughout the market also offer hungry shoppers a place to grab a bite while browsing the collection of dusty treasures.

Photo courtesy of http://www.firstthursdayaustin.com/

First Thursday

On a daily basis, South Congress Avenue in Austin often features mini-bazaars of locally-made arts and crafts, but First Thursday is the time when the artists really come out and make a showing. Held on the first Thursday of every month, this market / festival gives Austin artists and small businesses a chance to showcase their creativity in the middle of the bustling South Congress Avenue. At this market you can find all manner of handmade goods, from finely crafted jewelry to unique screen-printed t-shirts and much more. As a bonus, many of the well-known businesses on South Congress stay open late so you can enjoy all the funky shopping and dining this iconic Austin street offers well into the night.

Photo courtesy of http://www.austincountry.citymax.com/page/page/2934940.htm

Austin Country Flea Market

The Austin Country Flea Market is one of the oldest and largest flea markets in Central Texas. Just North of Austin, this veteran flea market is listed as #8 on Travel Channel’s Top 10 World’s Best Flea Markets. With 300 vendor spaces, the variety of the market is both vast and eclectic. Besides the expected handicrafts, there is also furniture, clothing, garage sales, auto accessories, and just about everything else you might never have known you needed. With live music every weekend, you could lose hours browsing the huge selection. The Austin Country Flea Market is open Saturday and Sunday, 10:00am to 6:00pm all year round.

Photo courtesy of https://www.facebook.com/23rdstreetartistsmarket

23rd Street Artist’s Market

You might not even notice this little market tucked away between 23^rd and 24^th streets on the Drag, but the 23^rd Street Artist’s Market is an Austin staple. Also called the Renaissance Market, this little outcropping of vendors is surrounded by murals and is located right across from UT’s campus. Open since the 1970s, this market showcases some of the most essential Austin flavor and some of the best local art finds. Open daily but busiest on weekends, this small market is a local institution and a great place to experience what the art community of Austin has to offer.

SoCo and First Thursdays

South Congress is covered with all kinds of eclectic shops including Uncommon Objects~ photo by texantiff23

About 15 minutes up the road from Plum Creek lies Austin’s famed South Congress district, an eclectic assortment of artsy stores and local restaurants. SoCo is best know for it’s First Thursdays, a night when vendors from around the state and beyond come to shop their wares up and down the street. Some famous locales along South Congress include Guerros, Lucy in Disguise, and Uncommon Objects.

Tips:

• Definitely try to hit the First Thursday. Its a great night to really soak in the atmosphere.
• Parking can be a pain, especially at night. More often than not you will need to park in the neighborhood just to the west. Make sure to take a mental note of the street intersection so you can find it again later.
• Lucy in Disguise is THE Austin Halloween costume provider with over 8,000 square feet of retail room. You won’t find a better selection of costumes anywhere in town. It can get pricey, but you can always rent. Don’t wait till the week before Halloween if you have something special in mind.
• As you travel north on South Congress you will eventually reach the river then capital. You aren’t far from the bats or Lake Austin, or any other downtown venues.

The University of Texas, Austin

The lighting of "The Tower" is a common UT tradition. Photo by Stephen Reidmiller

About:

The University of Texas is one of the largest and respected Universities in the US. Sports Illustrated ranked UT as America’s Best Sports College” in 2002, and there is always a game to see somewhere on the 40 Acres.

Tips:

• Football tickets are expensive and often hard to come by. If you don’t care who they are playing, try for a non-conference game. Additionally, save money and hassle by attending any of the other sports for a fraction of the cost. We recommend Men/Womens Basketball, Baseball, Softball, Volleyball, or Woman’s Soccer. All are quite fun.
• Tower Tours are available and offer a great view of downtown. We suggest calling and reserving ahead of time.
• The Frank Erwin Center is houses everything from UT Basketball to Ringling Brothers Circus. Check out their site often for the latest events.
• UT is home to several museums. We suggest checking out the rotating archives at the Ransom Center, which includes an original Gutenberg Bible and the Watergate Files. There is also the LBJ Presidential Library, The Blanton Museum of Art, and the Texas Natural Science Center.
• The Performing Arts Center is a great way to see broadway shows year round.