Canopies and other weather protection at flea markets

If you sell at a flea on a regular basis you know you probably want to have weather protection of one form or another.

What do you use?

I have 3 Caravan canopies and I use two on a regular basis. These are among the more expensive canopies on the market, usually costing "around" $200 each for a 10 x 10.  The aluminum frames are better for weight and are still strong. The white tops are good for hot climates.  I use weighted canvas bags for wind conditions.

Walmart and similar stores have Ez-Ups or First-Ups. Neither of these or other brands are as easy to use or as durable as the Caravans.

Check out your flea markets and see what people are using. The cheaper brands usually have red, green, blue tops. Not all white tops are Caravans; Caravans have a distinctive logo on two of the four surfaces.

I wish I would have gotten pictures but guy at market this weekend had converted a horse trailer into mobile store.  One whole side was on hinges on top so when opened it formed a canopy.  Inside had shelving and clothe racks.   Folding tables under "canopy".   Pretty clever and well done.

Talked to him jut briefly but the next step is converting 1/2 of it into a food truck to sell subs, hotogs and maybe pizza by the slice.  And is playing with solar panels but thinks the batteries will be to heavy.

I used the easy ups for about a year. For the most part, they aren't bad for the money. You do have to weight them down, believe me I know. One non-windy day, I got a gust of wind that picked up the EZ Up and launched it 20-25 feet into the crowd of people at my garage sale. One lady even got hit, luckily it was just a minor surface wound on her ankle. Needless to say, always strap them down, even if there is no wind because you never know when it will pick up.

im usually loaded to the gills when i go in , I dont have room for a canopy in the van . I toyed with the idea of taking a second spot and getting a trailer canopy bringing bigger furniture etc but was shot down at the office when they couldnt get me 2 consecutive spots

IM thinking about rigging something with a pair of roof racks , some conduit a tarp and spring clips

All of the regulars have the car canopy poles and tarps setup out there.  Of course they have the same spot every weekend and can have the semi-perm setup.

Myself - I have 2 of the cheap canopies that I use.  The market is covered.  However, the parking spot isn't.  I also pull my table back so that I can put in other tables and use up every sq foot that I can.  So I setup the canopy if have one spot, or both if two.  I keep bungies and strap everything down.

I also have learned to keep some of the cheap painter plastic covering you can get at walmart for $1.57.  Had a pop-up shower one day while at the flea.  I stood on the table and put the plastic up from the lip of the roof to my trailer.  Kept everything dry and simple to take down.  Always have some clamps, straps, and plastic handy IMO.

I'm looking at getting an enclosed trailer next weekend.  So will be looking at some other setups for the flea and buddies store when use the trailer.  Maybe just a tarp and two poles.  So put poles out, hook tarp to the trailer and poles, turn on the fan.