Find treasures in the city at Denver's Ballpark Market

Photo courtesy of Ballpark Market

Are you in need of a preserved rattlesnake skeleton? Framed antique soap advertisements? Jewelry made from vintage buttons or computer components? How about a red, white and blue cocktail apron appliquéd with the smiling visage of Ronald Regan? These are all items I have personally spotted in past summers at the Saturday Ballpark Market, which launches its 12th year tomorrow, April 11th.

The open-air market is one of my favorite things about downtown in the spring and summer- a place where you can grab your morning coffee and spend the morning wandering slowly through the clustered display booths, pausing to admire each new treasure you encounter. It is a refreshing change of pace from shopping malls and big box retail. Buzzing fluorescent lights are replaced by the glow of sunlight and painfully unobjectionable Adult Contemporary tunes piped in over the PA are replaced by the sound of neighbors greeting each other.

The wares at the market tend toward the antique, the collectable and the handmade but that doesn’t always translate to unaffordable. Racks of vintage clothing, sparkling depression-era glass and gently-loved shabby chic dressing tables can be found at perfectly reasonable prices. The market is open every 2nd Saturday of the month through October 10th, starting at 8 am. Head down to the block between 21st and 22nd streets on Larimer (map) this weekend to find the one-of-a-kind something your heart desires.