Fall Foliage and Vintage Market Days Vermont: Thrifting with the Gals and Autumn Inspiration

There’s nothing like fall in Vermont, especially when it includes a visit to Vintage Market Days Vermont during peak foliage season. I spent the day thrifting with a friend, soaking in the golden trees, and hunting for vintage treasures tucked into cozy market booths.

In this post, you’ll find fall decorating ideas, unique vintage finds, and plenty of colorful inspiration from the Green Mountains.

Vermont Fall Foliage Inspiration from the Green Mountains

Nestled in the heart of Vermont, our home offers a front-row seat to the breathtaking fall foliage of the Green Mountains. Every October, the hills come alive with a vibrant mix of oranges, golds, and deep burgundies, offering endless inspiration for my seasonal decorating style.

From foraging for colorful bouquets in the backyard to hiking with our Bernese Mountain Dog, Ella, at Stratton Mountain’s snow-making pond, fall in Vermont is a feast for the senses. Whether it’s a visit to the local nursery or a simple walk around the property, the bold tones of Vermont’s peak foliage season shape how I style both the inside and outside of our home.

Throughout this post, I’m sharing photos from our fall views, cozy corners, and how nature’s palette influences everything from vintage florals to color pairings—setting the tone for our visit to Vintage Market Days Vermont.

Cozy Fall Styling with Pink Accents and Mountain Views

This fall, I added soft pink accents to our sunroom craft space, which overlooks the mountains in full fall color. Using custom-made pink plaid window seat cushions from ZIPCushions, I created a cozy nook that blends beautifully with the deeper tones of burgundy, plum, mustard, olive green, and rust, all pulled straight from the Vermont fall landscape.

The soft blush tones brought a fresh twist to my traditional fall palette, especially when paired with a foraged bouquet arranged in a vintage white McCoy vase. It’s an easy way to layer vintage charm with nature’s autumn inspiration.

More Pink Fall Decor Inspiration

Road Trip to Vintage Market Days Vermont in the Fall

Every fall and spring, one of my favorite vintage events to attend is Vintage Market Days Vermont, a two-day market nestled in the Green Mountains. This season, I invited my friend Bernadette of B Home with Bernadette to join me for a little Thrifting with the Gals adventure. The drive alone is worth the trip—Vermont’s fall foliage puts on a show at every turn.

We took the scenic route, stopping to admire a classic covered bridge and treat ourselves to a beloved local specialty: a Vermont maple creamy. With brilliant leaves overhead and antique treasures ahead, this was the perfect way to kick off a weekend filled with inspiration and vintage charm.

As I’ve shared many times here on the blog, Vintage Market Days Vermont is a beautiful and accessible shopping experience for anyone who loves vintage home decor and antiques. Held twice a year at the Rutland State Fairgrounds, the market is surrounded by mountain views and offers easy parking, covered shopping spaces (ideal in unpredictable fall weather), and a relaxed, welcoming atmosphere.

You can easily spend 2–3 hours exploring two large barns filled with vintage and antique home decor, along with a few curated booths featuring handmade goods, thrifted fashion, and seasonal crafts. Whether you’re hunting for treasures or soaking up the scenery, it’s a can’t-miss event in Vermont’s fall calendar.

Top Vintage Decor Finds at Vintage Market Days Vermont

Antique Transferware Finds at Vintage Market Days Vermont

One of the first vendor booths we visited had an incredible display of brown and white antique transferware, at prices that were too good to pass up. Bernadette scooped up a gorgeous vintage tureen, while I brought home a beautiful platter.

Transferware is one of my favorite vintage touches for fall, especially in Vermont, where it pairs so beautifully with cabinet displays, open shelves, and seasonal table settings inspired by the autumn foliage.

Collecting Vintage Owl Prints and Wall Decor

I loved flipping through a bin of vintage framed owl prints at this year’s market, and was thrilled to add two more to my growing collection. I started collecting vintage owl art last fall and have slowly been creating a cozy little gallery in our living room book nook and plant decor corner.

There’s something whimsical and autumnal about these prints, they’re the perfect vintage wall decor for fall and bring a little woodland charm indoors.

Creative Fall Vintage Decor Ideas to Try at Home

One of my favorite Vintage Market Days antique vendors displayed some fabulous creative decor ideas, all of which could be easily replicated at home.

Using Transferware as a Vintage Fall Soap Dish

How about using a small transferware plate with a bar of soap wrapped with a velvet ribbon? This is a super cute idea for displaying in a kitchen or bathroom during the Vermont fall foliage season right into the holidays.

Decorating with Feathers and Succulents for Fall

Feathers are back, and so are succulents! Fill a vintage trinket like green glass, an old door knob, or a silver bowl with feathers or succulents. Display them on a bookshelf, dresser, cabinet, or coffee table this fall foliage season.

Styling with Vintage Suitcases for Cozy Autumn Decor

Vintage suitcases have always been favorites; look at this stack of retro green suitcases. These would be fabulous for a mid-century modern decor style in a bedroom corner, craft space, or corner nook. Check out the two I found last year at this same market in this Vintage Marketplace: Infinite Unique Decor post.

Already own a vintage suitcase? See how to transform it with an entirely new look in this Vintage Suitcase Makeover: Unique in Decor post.

Vintage French Basket Styling for Fall Decorating

My favorite find of the day was this antique French basket. I loved its shape and size. The back is flat, making it easy to hang on a wall for a display filled with fall hydrangeas or evergreens over Christmas. See more in this Fall Hydrangeas Decorating Guide For Pink Blooms post.

The wheels worked brilliantly, and I used the basket to carry my finds throughout the market. I received so many compliments on my new found basket as we browsed around.

So it’s not just pretty; it will also be practical to bring when I go antiquing.

Fall Styling with a Vintage Wicker Lemonade Set

I have always admired vintage lemonade sets. They’re so fun to display on the porch or around the fire pit during the summer.

This wicker one was so unique that I’m now excited to display it on our new antique beverage cart that I picked up on my recent trip antiquing in Paris. See more in this Antiquing in Paris & Flea Market Shopping with the Gals post.

Vermont Fall Foliage and Autumn Adventures

Vermont Peak Foliage Around Columbus Day Weekend

Traditionally, Vermont’s peak fall foliage hits its stride right around Columbus Day Weekend (also Indigenous Peoples’ Day weekend). And this year, the colors were absolutely stunning—fiery reds, golden yellows, and warm burnt oranges lighting up the Green Mountains.

Unlike last year’s slow show, this season brought a vivid, vibrant display. We even got our first dusting of snow on Stratton Mountain, signaling that cooler weather and fall transitions are fully underway in Southern Vermont.

Harpoon Brewery’s Oktoberfest in Windsor, Vermont

As the crisp autumn air rolled in, we took one of our final fall RV road trips of the season, heading north to Harpoon Brewery’s Oktoberfest in Windsor, Vermont. This annual event is the perfect way to soak up Vermont’s fall foliage while enjoying festive brews, seasonal bites, and cozy mountain views.

Located just a scenic drive from our Vermont home, Harpoon’s Oktoberfest is also one of the most pet-friendly festivals we’ve visited. We like to call it the gathering of the giant breed dogs—there were St. Bernards, Newfoundlands, Mastiffs, and of course, plenty of Bernese Mountain Dogs like our Ella. If you’re a dog lover looking for a unique fall outing in Vermont, this one’s for you.

Celebrating the Vermont Fall Foliage Season

As the days grow shorter and winter approaches here in Vermont, we’re soaking in every last moment of the fall foliage season, and what a season it’s been. With vibrant leaves at their peak, cozy afternoons filled with cider doughnuts, crisp apples, Vermont maple creamies, and the occasional rainbow after a fall rain, it truly feels like heaven on earth in the Green Mountains.

These golden autumn days are what inspire so much of my vintage decorating and travel. I hope this post gave you ideas, inspiration, and a little escape to fall in Vermont, whether you’re planning your own trip or styling your home with vintage charm.

Happy thrifting and antiquing, friend—and thanks for coming along.

More from the Vintage Market Days Vermont Series→

Explore more of my favorite vintage finds, fall styling ideas, and scenic moments from Vintage Market Days Vermont below.

FACTS: Vintage Market Days Vermont in the Fall

What is Vintage Market Days Vermont?
A seasonal vintage and antique market held in Vermont featuring curated home decor, handmade goods, and fall decorating inspiration.

Where is Vintage Market Days Vermont located?
It is typically held at the Rutland State Fairgrounds in Rutland, Vermont.

When is Vintage Market Days Vermont?
The fall event is scheduled around Indigenous Peoples’ Day Weekend each October, with a spring edition held annually as well.

What can you find at Vintage Market Days Vermont?
You’ll find vintage home decor, antique furniture, handmade crafts, fall-themed styling ideas, and cozy seasonal finds from local and regional vendors.

What makes Vintage Market Days Vermont special?
It’s a scenic shopping experience surrounded by peak Vermont fall foliage, complete with maple creamies, covered bridges, and small-town charm.

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