Antique Alley Texas
Each spring and fall, several north Texas towns join forces to create a huge sale. Called Antique Alley Texas, this twice-yearly event stretches over 25 miles and runs through the little towns of Cleburne and Sand Flat all the way to Maypearl and Grandview. The drive alone is worth the effort, since much of the journey takes you through tree-lined back roads and lush countryside.
Whatever the weather, Antique Alley Texas is held on the third Friday, Saturday, and Sunday of each April and September from 9:00 a.m. until 6:00 p.m. This year, it happens on April 18, 19, and 20. On my first jaunt, I enjoyed homemade ice cream at a roadside farm, sampled BBQ pork from a smoker on the back of a mammoth-sized pick-up truck, and had an amusing conversation with an elderly woman who was selling off her ex-husband’s vintage “Playboy” magazine collection. There’s no telling what you will find! [This description is a brief excerpt from my offbeat travel guide Unexpected Texas.]
Follow me on Instagram & I’ll follow you back!
I’ve gone from turning up my nose at the idea of cell phone pictures, to being an avid iPhone photographer, which is why my theme for the 2014 A to Z blog challenge is Instagram Travel Photos. If you are on Instagram, I’d be delighted to follow you. Simply follow my photo feed (@TuiSnider) on Instagram and I’ll follow you back!
For more, check out my collaboration with Morgan Dragonwillow. Morgan used my iPhone photos to accompany her poems in a book called Wild Woman Waking. Check it out!
What is the April A to Z Blog Challenge?
Each April, people from all over the world participate in the April A to Z blog challenge, and you can too. It’s a lot of fun and it’s a great way to meet other bloggers. To play along, all you do is make a blog post for each letter of the alphabet during April, then use the blog hop linky to visit as many other bloggers as you can.
My A to Z Inspired Book: Unexpected Texas
I’d like to thank everyone who commented on my blog during the A to Z Challenge last year, because it convinced me to take the self-publishing plunge. On March 2, 2014, I released Unexpected Texas as a paperback and eBook and it quickly became an Amazon Best Seller!
Check out other A to Z blogs below:
Check out the other participants of the A to Z Challenge
Tui Snider is an author, speaker, and photographer who specializes in North Texas travel, cemetery symbols, and haunted lore. As she puts it, “I used to write fiction – but then, I moved to Texas!”
Snider’s best-selling books include Paranormal Texas , Understanding Cemetery Symbols, and 100 Things to Do in Dallas - Fort Worth Before You Die.
Snider has several more books in progress, and enjoys connecting with writers and readers all over the globe through social media, her newsletter and her website: TuiSnider.com.
Tui! I do so wish I had an Instagram! I am rather bound by my circumstances in and around the wonderful neighborhood of V. M. Ybor! I will be travelling along vicariously, as I love to travel and I love Jumble, Yard and Rummage Sales! Mary
Sorry you can’t hop on the Instagram train, but I’m happy to take you along for a ride this April! :D
Tui, Always love a good antique sale, but I’m trying to minimize…fight.the.urge. I agree on cell phone photos as well, but I’m trying. Great A!
Hi Corinne, I hear ya on the minimizing – which is why I only took home memories, photos, and a belly full of good food the last time I went to Antique Alley. Happy A to Z-ing to ya! :D
This would be such a fun place to spend a day! And that rooster!! I think I am in love with him.
Carrie~Anne at That Dizzy Chick
Hi Carrie-Anne, Antique Alley is always a blast, and it’s *never* the same! As for that rooster, I wanted to take him home with us, but we can only have hens in our neighborhood. He seemed very mellow and observant. Yeah, I fell in love with him, too! :D
Antique Alley sounds fun. What a great way to tie several communities together for one event. BTW, I’ve been enjoying your Instagram photos – especially the strange happy sign. It makes me laugh every time I see it.
Hi Chuck, Yes – that crazed happy face cracks me up every time we drive by. I am rarely able to get a snap of it, though. I’m glad you came along for the A to Z ride. :D
Your blog is right up my alley, Tui! I love travel and adventure, and picking through antiques is so much fun, isn’t it? It’s like treasure hunting. I’ve always loved used book stores too.
Nice to meet you! Thanks for reaching out today. I look forward to reading the rest of your posts!
Hi Holli, If you like used book stores, I’ve got a *doozy* coming up for the letter L. Just you wait! Bwa, ha, ha! :D
Sounds good! I look forward to reading it.
This sounds like SO much fun and I’m not even into antiques all that much! Thanks for sharing! :) Stopping by from the A to Z. :)
Hi Jaimie, Y’know – I rarely buy anything when I go to Antique Alley, other than food. To me, it’s the lovely country drive and the people-watching that makes it so much fun. :D
Ooh, sounds fun! I bet you can find all sorts of cool things there.
It is fun, Courtney! The tree-covered two-lane roads are really picturesque and the people-watching is fun, too.
Oh I’d love to visit that…even the name’s great ‘Antique Alley’ may have to borrow that! Cheers
Enjoying the A to Z Challenge Maggie@expatbrazil.
Hi Maggie! Thank you for dropping by. Antique Alley is a lot of fun. I look forward to it every year! :D
I’m not big on anique shopping…buy my mom is. And I sure do miss Texas.
Jamie Dement (LadyJai)
http://writebackwards.we3dements.com
http://caringforaveteran.wordpress.com
Heya! I’m not really into the antiques, but the people-watching, the food trucks and the scenery really make it worth my while. :D
I’m not much of an antique shopper, but I would love to go there. So much stuff to see, you’d be crazy not to find something you had to take home.
The people watching is great, too, Patricia. Good fodder for the imagination all around! :D
I can’t decide which is my favorite – I love the rooster and the Longhorns!! So cool – we have to set up a printing service for you this month.
Hi Nicole, It’s been hard only using 3 or 4 photos for each post. I’m trying to have a little restraint. And, oh, I’d love to print out more of my photos. :D
Oh one of my favorites! I would love to be able to peruse this Antique Alley I keep hearing so much about!
I thought you might like this one, Morgan! Maybe you & Christie can make a road trip over for Antique Alley sometime. Larry & I could join you. It’d be a blast. :D
That would be fantastic! One of these days it WILL happen! And oh what fun we will have!
Maybe we’ll get lucky & be able to make the September Antique Alley? Who knows? :D