LIMA, Ohio (WLIO) - Judging by the parking lot alone, you might think the Allen County Fair is still going - but the crowd was there for something else.
The 17th annual Max's Trader Days kicked off Friday morning, and the gates stay open 24 hours a day through Sunday evening. It's part flea market, part gun show, and part dog races with vendors selling just about everything you could imagine. And for some visitors, it's a yearly tradition.
"We have people that this is their vacation and they just come every year, and this is what they do," said Jodi Thomas, Max's daughter. "We see people high-fiving, 'oh, I haven't seen you since last year', 'it's good to see you', 'you're back', people just come and find all kinds of goodies."
This year, every vendor spot is taken, with a waitlist for anyone hoping to get in. They line the grounds selling everything from crafts and collectibles to tools, antiques — and even homemade goods. For over a decade, Tim Newman has traveled to Lima from Fremont for Trader Days.
"We have repeat customers every year," said Newman, who runs Hot Head Brothers Pepper Butter. "This is the only place so far that we market our pepper butter and we sell out every year."
"I get to get out, whether I sell or not, I get to camp out, I get away from home," said Vanessa Fickel, a vendor.
Visit Greater Lima calls it one of the area's great community events, one that gets people outside and into Lima. In 2024, they say Max's Trader Days brought in around $30,000 in economic impact through taxes on hotel stays and local sales tax. This year's event runs through Sunday evening. Daily entry is $15, or $25 for a weekend pass.
