Everything You Need to Know About Round Top/ Warrenton Antiques Week

The world-famous Texas Antiques Week is starting this weekend! Are you ready?  I have compiled this How-To List to help make your Junking Excursion more fun!

1. What is Texas Antiques Week at Round Top/Warrenton?   Antique Weekend takes place over two and one-half weeks that end the first weekend of April and October each year. What started decades ago as a three day show now spans nearly three weeks! Twice a year more than 100,000 people arrive in rural Texas, to shop more than 60 antique, collector, decor and fashion shows in barns, dance halls, under tents and in fields. Texas Antiques Week is a HUGE antique, craft, art and collectible gathering that attracts thousands of dealers from across the country where they are joined by hundreds of thousands of buyers in the middle of Texas. This is your opportunity to buy from dealers all over the country by coming to one central location. The shows are attended by vendors and dealers from virtually every region of the United States. Most of the shows/ fields do not charge an admittance fee. Parking is free at most of the locations.

2. When is Texas Antiques Week? The fun starts Friday, March 24th and ends Saturday, April 1st.  The weekends are very busy and crowded, so consider calling in sick at work and making the trip on a week day!  Tuesday, March 28th, is crazy because Marburger Farms Antique Show opens, bringing the Houston, Dallas and Austin shoppers (translate: Big Spenders!).  Shop early during the show to find the best selection and shop later during the show for the best deals. Most dealers do not want to pack up, load and haul those heavy furniture pieces home, so you can make some sweet deals on the last weekend! Most of the shows/fields open at 9 AM and close at 6-7PM.

3. How to get there: From Bryan/College Station, take FM 60 to Somerville. Take a left on HWY 36 toward Brenham. Take a right turn on FM 390 at Gay Hill Community. This is a scenic drive with many twists and turns.  There is also a one-lane bridge underpass with a 9 ft height clearance (so be careful with tall vans or RVs)! Follow FM 390 until it hits HWY 290. Turn right on HWY 290. At FM 237, veer to the left and go under the overpass. FM 237 will take you into Round Top, then into Warrenton. From B-CS, the drive to Round Top/Warrenton will take about one hour.  Leave home by 7:00 AM to miss to traffic on FM 237 (Seriously!).  And head home by 4PM or wait until about 7PM to head home to miss the afternoon traffic. Unless you plan to shop Marburger Farm Antique Show, avoid traveling to Round Top/Warrenton on Tuesday, March 28th. The traffic is unbelievable on that day!

4. Where are the best places to shop? Here is the official map for Texas Antiques Week:  http://roundtop.org/antique_show_info.php. There are hundreds of venues and many miles of junk, antiques and treasures to shop.  Where to start? If you love beautiful heirloom antiques in designer room settings, you will want to visit Marburger Farm Antique Show, McLaren’s Antiques and Interiors, Lone Star Gallery and the Original Round Top Antiques Fair. The Junk Gypsy’s Store is a must if you are a fan!  If you love finding antique treasures at reasonable prices, you need to visit the fields at Warrenton. This is where I love to shop! My favorite fields are Bar W, Hillcrest Inn, North Gate and of course, Zapp Hall!  Our tent is set up at Zapp Hall along the East perimeter near the outdoor beer pub. I love Zapp because there is live music every day and evening, the food at the Royer’s Café at Zapp is tasty, and there is a wide variety of vendors selling everything imaginable! On Thursday, March 30th, evening, the Junk Gypsy Prom is held at Zapp Hall. Join the Gypsies, as well as Mom and Dad, for an evening of live music, adult beverages and the craziest prom dresses and attire you have ever seen!

5. Where are the best places to eat? The Stone Cellar in Round Top is well-known for its gourmet pizza and craft beer on tap.  Los Patrones Mexican Restaurant is rumored to serve the best Mexican food in Texas.  (I will make a point of verifying this during this year’s Spring show!). Hillcrest Inn has a great breakfast buffet for you early birds!  Zapp Hall features Royer’s Zapp Hall Café and Beer Garden, serving Bud’s Pork Ribs, Smoked Sausage, Grilled Quail and Shrimp BLT (my favorite!).  My favorite Round Top Eatery is Royer’s (original) Round Top Café. Enjoy Royer’s for their delicious food and eclectic ambience.  Just reading the messages on the walls, called Bud-isms, after famous owner Bud Royer, is entertaining.  For a tasty snack, stop by Royer’s Pie Haven and enjoy a slice of pie (try the Margarita Pie or the Texas Trash Pie), Piewich, enormous brownies, scones and cookies, smoothies, and savory meat pies! 

 

6. What to Wear/ Bring:  Dress casually with comfortable walking shoes. Bring extra clothing for every imaginable Texas weather situation: pouring down rain, sweltering heat, and shivering cold! Cowgirl sassy, gypsy chic, cute rubber boots, jeans, shorts, tutus, dresses, prom dresses, cowboy hats, red hats, tiaras. It's all good....and dressing up is part of the fun! Sunscreen, rubber boots, cooler with ice and sodas, bottled water, wagon for kids and junk, sun hat, umbrella, fanny pack/back pack, four-wheeler, ATV or power wheelchair, cooling neck cloth and lots of cash!  Many vendors accept credit/debit cards, but cash is king when you are bargaining!  Most of the shows are pet friendly, so bring your dog on a leash!