First Monday is NOT on Monday. Okay, so a lot of people know this by now, but you would be surprised how many people show up on Monday wanting to "shop 'til they drop" just to find out that all of the vendors have packed up and headed home. They aren’t always too happy when they find out, but are sometimes consolable by pointing out some antique malls and of course the Paul Michael Company out by the interstate.
It’s been known as First Monday Trade Days since Thomas Edison was still a toddler and before Abraham Lincoln was the POTUS. So, we go way back. It started out as the designated day that the circuit judge would come to Van Zandt County to hear the trials. People would gather around the courthouse and trade goods and often animals while they watched the trials, and sometimes the executions. Trading was a large part of their livelihood back then, and getting to town on a Monday was very important. Our society has since changed and now our livelihood is based off a Monday through Friday workweek. Our Flea Market has evolved and now our flea market is more of a recreation than a way of life, but don’t be fooled, there are still many people that depend on First Monday Trade Days as a primary source of income.
Needless to say, the name First Monday Trade Days has been around for a long time and isn’t going anywhere. While I have you here, remember, it’s the Thursday through Sunday BEFORE the first Monday of each month. First Monday Trade Days in Canton is a shopping haven for many people throughout the country. When it comes to unique items, there really is no better place to go. Shopping in Canton is a once in a lifetime experience that should be on everyone’s bucket list. You don’t have to do it just once, if you wait a month, we will be back at it again.
-Austin Melton
Canton Visitors Bureau