Vendors wanted for Car Bazaar parking garage flea market in Downtown Pittsburgh

A city parking garage will soon be converted into an open-air flea market when the Pittsburgh Downtown Partnership launches the Car Bazaar. The PDP is taking applications for local makers, artists, vintage collectors, and others willing to do business out of the trunks of their vehicles.

Today, PDP announced that the Car Bazaar will kick off Sat., April 3 on multiple levels of the Sixth and Penn Parking Garage, including the roof. From there, the late morning-early afternoon event will take place every Saturday throughout April, offering chances to shop handmade and second-hand goods, as well as live music, and brunch food and cocktails from Downtown restaurants like täkō and Talia.

“We are excited to launch this larger-than-life garage sale, and we can’t wait to see what people will bring out to sell, upcycle, and share,” said PDP president and CEO Jeremy Waldrup in a press release.

Waldrup describes the Car Bazaar as “yet another way to safely enjoy shopping in the heart of the city,” as vendors and visitors will be required to follow COVID-19 safety guidelines. The garage will also have ventilation and “ample room for social distancing” on rainy days when access to the roof is closed off.

The concept is based on the tradition of so-called Car Boot sales in England, during which people gather to sell items out of their vehicles, particularly in the summer months. (For those non-Anglophiles, “boot” is the British word for trunk.)

Those interested in selling at the Car Bazaar are encouraged to pre-register at carbazaarpgh.com. Applications are first-come, first-serve, with limited same-day drive-up vendors accepted if space is available. Vendor fees are only $15 each week and include all-day parking along with an additional adjacent parking space.

The event is free for visitors with a limited number of $3 garage parking spots available with advanced registration.