Blog Post

World's Oldest Flea Market, world record in Negreni, Romania

October 15, 2024

Negreni, Cluj County, Romania--The Negreni Fair, also known as The Fechetău Fair, a famous autumn fair in
Cluj County, Romania, attested since 1815, attracts many tourists through the traditional exhibits that offer tourists the opportunity to admire in reality or purchase household items, folk wear, handicrafts or old furniture; the fair sets the world record for being the World's Oldest Flea Market, according to the WORLD RECORD ACADEMY.

"The town of Negreni officially received approval for the organization of fairs in 1815, according to the representatives of the Town Hall in the town. Probably, however, they say, fairs were also organized before that year," the Cluj24.ro says.

"The Negreni fair, attested since 1815, returns with a new edition this year, between October 10 and 13. At the end of the week, there is a large influx of people, including from abroad, in the Cluj town.

"The famous Autumn Fair in Negreni, in Cluj county, will take place this week, from Thursday, October 10, to Sunday, October 13. Cluj-Oradea passenger trains will stop at the Negreni station."

"The fairs in Negreni attract many tourists through the traditional exhibits that offer tourists the opportunity to admire in reality or purchase household items, folk wear, handicrafts or old furniture," the primarianegreni.ro says.

"Târgul de la Fechetău" is a famous autumn fair, with a wide range of specifics, and "Târgul cooselor" marks the beginning of the mowing season, where the farmers of the area meet.

"On the occasion of the fairs, visitors also have the opportunity to witness folk art demonstrations and meet local people who can share with them their secrets kept from previous generations."

"The continuity of life on these lands is also proven throughout the period of the invasion of migratory peoples," the Wikipedia says. Later, from the Middle Ages, there is information about the famous "fair at Lake Negreni", confirming the development of the community in the Negreni area.

"For centuries, a fair has been held in Negreni, on the banks of the Crișul Repede, during the first week of October.

"The name of the locality appears in the chronicles, where it is also associated with Horea, the leader of the 1784 uprising."

"The town of Negreni in 1815 received official approval for the organization of fairs, but fairs were probably organized here even before that. So every year, on the second weekend of October, thousands of people gather in the town of Negreni in Cluj county, at the largest antiques fair and not only in Transylvania, a fair that has its origins in the Middle Ages," the primarianegreni.ro says.

"The fair with a tradition of several centuries is organized in autumn every year, on the second weekend of October, on the banks of Crişului Repede, in Negreni.

"It has two parts, one where new items of general use, clothes, shoes are sold. Of greater importance is the other side where you can find different antiques, for example: folk wear, sewing, painted plates, books, furniture, tools, paintings, etc.
Those interested can spend several days walking among these objects. The fair enjoys great popularity with guests from Hungary, Western Europe, even America."

"Two big fairs are organized annually in Negreni, known throughout the country, and even abroad. It is about the spring fair, also called the "scissors fair", which always takes place in June and, especially, the autumn fair at "Fechetău". Both fairs, with a tradition of several centuries, gather for a week thousands of traders and bought," the Monitorul Cluj reports.

"From shoes and clothing, traditional household items, traditional clothing items from the whole country, antiques, books, furniture, paintings, or traditional dishes or other small things, we can find everything these days at Negreni, if we go through the fair spread over almost five hectares, along the Crişului Repede.

"This fair is directly related to the world of the village, to the tools of the peasant household, to the clothes of the grandmothers, to the fascinating history of the past, which can be "read" by examining the objects on display, family photo albums, paintings and icons in the house old woman."

"But since then, every year, on the second weekend of October, tens of thousands of people gather in the town of Negreni in Cluj County, at the largest antiques fair in Transylvania."

"The Negreni fair in Cluj County brings together tens of thousands of people, both from Romania and abroad, in a true cultural and commercial exchange," the Apuseni Info says.

"Over time, the fair has become known for its diversity of goods, but also for its almost ritualistic character, where neither the lack of financial resources nor the language barrier prevents the conclusion of a transaction – here, sign language is sufficient.

"During the fair, we can observe the dynamics of the traditional rural economy and the role that household items, folk wear and work tools had in the organization of peasant life. The traditional clothing on display, paintings, icons, old photo albums – all these are elements that reveal fragments of the village's history and the evolution of crafts."

"Negreni village is located on the European road E60, 10 km from Piatra Craiului, towards Cluj. The fair is similar to the Coaselor Fair in June, but it is spread over a much larger area, with a much richer assortment of objects. It has two parts, one where new items of general use, clothes, shoes are sold," the roevent.org says.

"Of greater importance is the other side where you can find different antiques, for example: folk wear, sewing, painted plates, books, furniture, tools, paintings, etc.

"You don't go to Târgul de la Fechetău without buying and you don't buy without negotiating. Whether we're talking about vinyl or furniture, an old clock or a lamppost, a painting of Scheherazade or an unusable mandolin, the trade specific to the Negreni fair is unique and special."

"With a tradition of over two hundred years, the fair on the banks of Crișului Repede gathers thousands of people in one place to see and buy all kinds of old products. Clothes, paintings, decorative objects and furniture are just some of them. Since the early hours of the morning, people from all over the country, but also from abroad, filled the flea market in Negreni," the Stirile Pro Tv reports.

"Because prices can be negotiated and products are much cheaper, some have seen an opportunity in this period of price increases.

"Because the interest was huge, the Romanian Railroads supplemented the flights to Negreni. However, there was chaos in the traffic. On the last 15 kilometers to the fair, traffic flowed from bar to bar. The Negreni flea market is organized every year, at the beginning of autumn, and entry is free."

"Among the sizzling barbecues, Chinese toys and clothes of all kinds, at the oldest fair in Transylvania, objects of art also found their place," the Digi24.ro says.

"On the banks of Crișului Repede, where the Negreni Fair has been held for more than 200 years, pieces of French furniture built by hand from oak wood have been waiting for people willing to pay even 1000 euros.

"The fair is spread over 11 hectares and tradition says that no one leaves without buying something, be it an article of clothing, a toy or an item of furniture. The three-day fair known for 200 years as the "Black Lake Fair". This year traders from all over Romania came here."

"A flea market (or swap meet) is a type of street market that provides space for vendors to sell previously owned (second-hand) goods. This type of market is often seasonal.

"However, in recent years there has been the development of 'formal' and 'casual' markets which divides a fixed-style market (formal) with long-term leases and a seasonal-style market with short-term leases. Consistently, there tends to be an emphasis on sustainable consumption whereby items such as used goods, collectibles, antiques and vintage clothing can be purchased, in an effort to combat climate change and fast fashion.

"Flea market vending is distinguished from street vending in that the market alone, and not any other public attraction, brings in buyers. There are a variety of vendors: some part-time who consider their work at flea markets a hobby due to their possession of an alternative job; full-time vendors who dedicate all their time to their stalls and collection of merchandise and rely solely on the profits made at the market." (Wikipedia)

Photos: World's Oldest Flea Market, world record in Negreni, Transylvania, Romania

(1,2,3) The town hall of the Negreni commune

(4,5,6,7) Facebook/Târgul de la Negreni - Feketetói vásár

(8) Via Cluj TV

(9) YouTube/Teorestian

(10) Apuseni Info

(11,12) Turda News