The Long Way
Lewis County
People walking along outdoor market stalls with a snowy mountain in the background.
Plate I. Vendor tents, Packwood Flea Market. From chronline.com
A crowded street fair lines a road flanked by trees and mountains.
Plate II. Crowds and traffic at Packwood Flea Market. From chronline.com
A street market with food booths and a snow-capped mountain in the background.
Plate III. Vendor tents and shoppers, Packwood Flea Market. From visitrainier.com
People browse various booths with toys and merchandise under canopies at an outdoor market.
Plate IV. Vendor booths, Packwood Flea Market. From chronline.com
People walking through an outdoor market or yard sale event.
Plate V. Shoppers and vendors at Packwood Flea Market. From chronline.com
A view of outdoor market stalls with a snow-capped mountain in the background.
Plate VI. Vendor booths, Packwood Flea Market. From whitepassbyway.com
People walk past a market stall selling patterned blankets and apparel outdoors.
Plate VII. Shoppers at Packwood Flea Market. From chronline.com
A man looks at power tools displayed on shelves and tables outdoors.
Plate VIII. Tool vendor, Packwood Flea Market. From chronline.com
A table displays various items for sale at an outdoor market.
Plate IX. Vendor display, Packwood Flea Market. From whitepassbyway.com

Packwood Flea Market

Packwood, Lewis County, Washington. Town-wide flea market.

Details

Map. Packwood, Lewis County, Washington. Larger map
Where
U.S. Highway 12, Packwood, WA. Directions
When
Twice each year: Memorial Day weekend and Labor Day weekend.
Getting there
Along U.S. Highway 12 in Packwood; vehicles back up on the highway during the market, often for miles.
Fees
Free to walk through; some parking areas may charge fees.
Access
Vendors spread across multiple fields and private properties throughout town. Parking can become very limited during peak hours; park only in designated areas and never block roads, driveways, local businesses or private property.
Walk-in or reserve
Walk in; no single official entrance.
Website
packwoodfleamarket.com
Managed by
No official host; loosely organized by the vendors and artisans themselves.
Established
1973.

Hundreds of vendors and artisans, along with food trucks and more, will line Packwood's roads, offering shoppers everything from hand-crafted artwork to one-of-a-kind, second-hand thrift finds and even animal taxidermy.

Notable Events

  1. 1977In the summer of 1977 Sherman Combs decided he would no longer sponsor a swap meet in Packwood and offered it to Dave Bliss. packwoodvisitorcenter.com
  2. 1978In 1978 Dave Bliss promoted the event as a Flea Market, moved it to Labor Day weekend and rented the community hall. packwoodvisitorcenter.com
  3. 1980sAs the market's reputation spread, organizers officially added a second date, anchoring the market on both Memorial Day weekend and Labor Day weekend. lewistalk.com

People

  • Dave Bliss, took over the swap meet, promoted it as a Flea Market, and later offered it to the seniors as a fund raiser (1977).
  • Sherman Combs, started the swap meet on the grounds of his gift shop (1972-1977).

Sources

  1. visitrainier.com/packwood-flea-market-guide
  2. whitepassbyway.com/event/packwood-flea-market-2
  3. chronline.com/stories/packwood-flea-market-returns-to-east-lewis-county-for-labor-day-weekend,407520
  4. whitepassbyway.com/event/packwood-flea-market
  5. whitepassbyway.com/events/category/packwood
  6. packwoodvisitorcenter.com/packwood-flea-marts
  7. lewistalk.com/2026/05/19/a-twice-a-year-treasure-history-of-the-packwood-flea-market