Antiques are Heaven in 2011

The Latest News:

Sunday Night, June 19th, 2011 - The 29th Annual Walnut Antique Show is in the history books. It was a qualified success. The overall attendance wasn't a record, but quite respectable considering the dealers and citizens of Walnut were pleased with the results of all our hard work here in Walnut. The weather was very good except the rain on Saturday morning. The AMVETS will do some clean-up and stowing of equipment on Monday and then take a much deserved break for a few months before gearing up for the 30th Annual show. Watch this website for news of our planning of the big show.

Saturday Night, June 18th, 2011 - Saturday started with the threat of rain. The radar indicated the rain would probably miss Walnut, but the rain redeveloped and rained on the show until about noon. The inside dealers were very busy with shoppers and other shoppers took refuge from the rain under food stand tents and dealer canopies until the precip ended. The afternoon became quite pleasant.

Sunday will conclude the show. The dealers will be open from 8 AM to 4 PM for your shopping pleasure. The forecast is for slight chance of thunderstorms during the night and partly cloudy all day Sunday. Have a great antiquing day on Sunday.

Saturday Noon, June 18th, 2011 - The show had some rain this morning. (So much for the forecast) Shoppers have shown up and many have shopped the inside dealers at the School and the Legion Hall. The rain has stopped now and we expect no more rain for the rest of the weekend. The dealers are ready to show there antiques and collectables. The show goes on. The parking areas have not received enough rain to be a problem. See you at the show!!!

Friday Night, June 17, 2011 - Friday was a good start for the show. Big crowd showed up. Weather was good though a little on the warm side.

Thursday Night, June 16, 2011 - Very hectic day in Walnut today. The day started with a threat of rain. The large cell stayed west and south of us and we received no rain. The ground here is still dry. The forecast from Omaha TV says a slight chance for thunderstorm tonight with partly cloudy skies by morning. Then another chance for rain Friday night and no rain on Saturday and Sunday. Great weather for an antique show outside. Temps in the mid 80's for all three days are predicted.

A great way to see the show is to get here early, park on the south side of town and enjoy a pancake, egg and sausage breakfast at the fire house. The inside dealers will open their doors at 8 AM and the outside dealers should be ready to show their wares by 9 AM. Wear a good pair of walking shoes, take regular breaks and drink plenty of water to be comfortable during the show.

If you come to Walnut via I-80, expect to get directed to one of our parking areas by the mounted horsemen of the Pony Express organization. They will get you parked quickly so you can enjoy the show sooner. If you know where you want to go instead of the parking areas, just indicate with a wave that you need to go somewhere else.

See you at the show!!

Wednesday, June 15, 2011 - We haven't had any measurable rain since Monday. Our parking areas are dry and could handle any rain showers without getting muddy. The latest forecast for Walnut is for a small chance of thunderstorms Thursday, Friday and Saturday. They have raised the temperature forecast to 80 on Friday, 85 on Saturday and 90 on Sunday. This should be quite comfortable with all the shady areas in Walnut. Wind is supposed to be fairly light.

I see they have I-29 closed now at the Missouri/Iowa border and at Missouri Valley, IA. From Kansas City area and south, use I-29 to St Joseph, MO then Hwy 71 north all the way to Atlantic, IA then Hwy 83 to Walnut. From South Dakota area, I-29 to Sioux City, then Hwy 20 to Hwy 59 south to Avoca, IA then Hwy 83 to Walnut. There are no roads anywhere close to Walnut that are affected by the Missouri River flood. I-80 both east and west are dry and not in any danger of being affected by the flood waters.

The town is already bustling with visitors planning to stay in the area for the show. It's an exciting time for the town of Walnut. Thursday will see even more activity as the food stands get erected and the streets get blocked off in anticipation of the big show. We hear that is getting more challenging to find a motel room now, but keep trying. There could be few cancellations.

Monday, June 13, 2011 - We marked the streets today for the dealer spaces. It rained here for about 15 minutes this morning and is very nice now. The latest forecast is for a 30% chance of rain on Friday and very nice on Saturday and Sunday.

We have been receiving many calls regarding concern about the flooding reported in the national media and how it will affect their travel to Walnut. I actually flew over the affected area on Saturday. The flooding is restricted to the low areas along Highway I-29 just north of Council Bluffs, IA and from Rock Port, MO to Hwy 2 interchange (exit 10) in Iowa. These areas are very easy to by-pass and should not be a problem for anyone. There are no other areas in Iowa having any flooding problems. I-80 is completely open and dry even in western Iowa.

One Week to Go - June 10th, 2011 - Just looked at the long term weather forecast and we have a very good chance for good weather with only a slight chance of thunderstorms. Temperatures should be in the low 80's throughout the show. As most of you know, western Iowa is experiencing some flooding of the Missouri River basin. Most of this water has come down from Montana and not from local rains. Walnut is far from any substantial river and 50 miles from the Missouri River. The only effect on the show will be some possible detours around effected areas of Interstate 29 in western Iowa.

As for the show, the streets are cleaned, the food stands are planned and staffed, the dealers are preparing to travel from the 26 different states and the AMVETS are ready to conduct our 29th annual show. The parking areas are starting out drier so we don't anticipate the problems with mud in the parking areas like the last 2 years. Walnut has had only normal rainfall this year.

The dealers: We have done our utmost to ensure that only quality dealers will be in the show. We have about 40 new-to-the-show dealers which will bring some diversity to the show. The Walnut Antique Show has a long reputation for quality dealers and the fact that the show spaces are always full is proof of that. We turn away dozens of potential dealers of new items, crafts, and flea market type items every year. STAY TUNED FOR MORE INFO !!!

Two and a half months to go - April 3, 2011 - Most of our dealers have contracted with us to return. We are busy filling the last few vacant spaces, placing our extensive advertising and coordinating with our many supporting personnel and organizations. It appears to be another very good show. Keep this page on your favorites list to keep up with the latest news. We intend to update this site more often as the show looms closer, even daily and even every few hours during the show. This site will be the place to get information about weather, both current and forecasted during the show and the condition of parking areas and the show grounds.

Happy New Year! - January 1, 2011 - Most of our dealers are signed up for the show in June. We will be filling any vacancies with quality dealers right up to the show. We always have some special circumstances that keeps a few dealers from attending. Antique lovers and collectors should put our show on their calendars now. See you at the show.

After the Show - Update - Monday June 21st, 2010 - Another show is in the record books. We can call it a success even with the rain storm on Friday that delayed the outside show for a couple of hours and the sprinkles we experienced on Sunday morning. The AMVETs and city workers are busy cleaning up and stowing equipment until next year. Hope all had a great time and will see you all next year.

Sunday - Update - 7:30 AM - We have been checking the radar continually. The rain is starting to turn and most of it looks like it will go south of Walnut. We may have a good weather day after all. Sundays usually start out slow anyway. We are not calling the show yet.

Sunday Morning, June 20th, 2010 - Saturday's show was also very good. Attendance was good and the weather behaved itself by giving was light winds and pleasant temperatures. A rain system that we were watching in Nebraska fell apart before it got to us and gave was a nice cloud cover for about 3 hours that kept our temps down for a few hours.

The forecast is for rain on Sunday. If it rains, some of our dealers will be forced to limit their showings. Of course the inside dealers will continue as usual. About half of the outside dealers are equipped to conduct business even with light rain showers. Most of our food stands have shelter for eating without getting wet.

Anyone considering coming to the show will have good day even if it rains off-and-on. The fireman's breakfast is inside. With the free parking and free admission, you are out nothing for coming except your time and a little gas money. Enjoy the day.

June 19th, 2010 - Friday's show was a huge success. The attendance was up significantly from all recent years. The weather was excellent after the brief rain event in the morning.

June 18th, 2010 - The Show Has Started - The 2010 show has started off wet. The dealers were setting up on the streets when a fast moving rain cell passed through. The rail lasted about 20 minutes and then blue skies arrived. The radar shows the system in Des Moines area already as I write this (10:15 AM) and there is no more rain behind this system. Our parking help is evaluating the parking lots before we use them to make sure no one gets stuck.

If you are still wondering about coming, don't delay. There is plenty of good shopping day left. See you at the show.

June 16th, 2010 - We are getting calls regarding when the dealers set up and start selling. As we advertise, we do not allow our dealers to set up or sell from their vehicles on Thursday. Due to a city ordinance which protects our residents, we don't allow set-up until 7 AM on Friday morning. They can not even park in their space until then. Most outside dealers are ready for business by 9 AM. The glass vendors take a little longer. Our inside dealers have it a little better since they are not on the street and not covered by the ordinance. We allow them to unload their wares into the buildings on Thursday to be out of the way on Friday morning, then let them setup indoors at 6 AM and opening the doors to the public at 8 AM on Friday.

Here's the perfect day at Walnut. Start early and get here early. Enjoy a great breakfast at the fire house from 6 - 8 AM, check out the inside dealers from 8 - 10 AM, then venture outside to start shopping the outside dealers. after a couple of hours, it's time for BBQ, a brat or a Philly sandwich and top it off with a great piece of homemade pie form one of the many food stands on the streets. More shopping and when you need a cool treat, try out a Frozen Fruit bar from one of the roving carts. Thirst will not be your problem, because we allow 4 roving wagons of ice cold bottled water to be sold by some of our young entrepreneurs. (hunger or refreshments will not be your problem, check our food page for ideas) After a long day of shopping, and carrying your found treasures or needing to take your vehicle right to the dealer to load the heavier or bulkier items, you can look back at a great day and/or plan for a return the next day to check all those dealers you didn't have time to see or maybe to check in on a few of the shops and malls downtown.

The latest weather forecasts call for a slight chance of rain showers all three days. This is simular to the forecast for the last few days and we have not had rain for 4 days. There have been a few rain systems to the south of us, but did not make it to Walnut. We are hoping for more of the same. See you all on Friday, Saturday or Sunday (Stay tuned for more updates)

Long range weather forecasts are not available yet, but you can get your current conditions and forecast info right here each day leading up to and during the Show. Check back often and pass the word.

June 1st, 2010 - Radio spots are produced and distributed to 23 radio stations in Iowa, Nebraska, South Dakota and Missouri. All spaces are filled with almost 310 dealers from 21 states. The only contracts for spaces now are for cancellations due to unforeseen circumstances. (They do happen). We have updated the Lodging Page to include more camp grounds and motels in the area. Check it out here.

May 2010 - Advertising is ordered for all of the antique related magazines and newspapers. Radio spots are ordered and we will develop the spots soon. The AMVETS will be renting tables this year instead of farming it out to an independent contractor. We have just heard from the Iowa Lottery folks and the Walnut Antique Show will be one of the events where lottery players can get a chanc