Visitors from across the United States stopped in Vicksburg Saturday to shop for antiques, art and food from dozens of vendors at the Old Court House Museum’s biannual flea market.

Director/Curator of the Old Court House Museum Bubba Bolm said they put on the flea market twice a year and it is one of their larger fundraisers.

“We’ve operated this museum for 68 years without federal or state grants,” he said. “We do it ourselves, so we have fundraisers like this to help with the upkeep of the building and pay salaries.”

The flea markets have been held for 33 years, but the spring market has only been going on for the last five years.

“As far as a venue for local artists to show their work, we have furniture makers, knife makers, stained glass, artists, photographers,” he said. “Some great things are being made by people around here.”

Bolm said the spring market is the smaller of the two, but they always have around 18 food vendors and anywhere between 80 and 200 arts and craft booths.

“The courthouse rents them the space,” he said. “They use the space to raise money for their church, school, boy scouts or anything, so it benefits the entire community.”

Scout Master Paul Eagles with Boy Scout Troop 102 said they enjoy supporting the Old Courthouse Museum through participating in the flea market.

Eagles, who has spent the past 15 years working with the Boy Scouts, said the scouts started selling funnel cakes at the flea market six years ago.

“A lot of people come to the flea market just to get a funnel cake, and they buy other stuff while they’re here.” he said. “I think it’s a big draw for the flea market.”

Selling funnel cakes helps the Boy Scouts raise money for their summer camp, outings and other things, Eagles said.

“We pick up the trash as a service project,” he said. “We put barrels out and pick up trash after the flea market. We’ve been doing that for about 30 years.”

Eagles said they enjoy getting out and meeting people and the scouts enjoy working the event.

Bolm said his friends Steve and Tracey Glomstad who love historical re-enactments came down from Minnesota to take part in the flea market.

“I met them two or three years ago,” he said. “They’ll come here on occasion and greet visitors. It’s a neat thing.”

Bolm said visitors especially love to see the Glomstads dressed up in their historical garb, Tracey in her big ball gown and Steve in his top hat.

“When (Tracey) walks in the door, she catches the eyes of the visitors and they all want their photograph taken with her,” he said.

Tracey Glomstad said she and her husband made a trip to Vicksburg four years ago and fell in love with the city.

“Ever since I was a little girl I read about the South, and I truly believed I lived here in another time,” she said. “We make all of our own costumes, and we have a period time promotion filming. We enhance people’s historical places.”

Glomstad said she has a historical persona, Mrs. James T. Hamilton.

“We take that on stage, and we give presentations,” she said. “It’s a 19th century oral interpretation of Southern living.”

Glomstad said she and her husband meet the riverboats when they come to Vicksburg and greet the people when the boats dock.

“On the American Queen the last time it came to port here, we met Jefferson Davis’ great-great-great-great-great grandson,” she said. “It was the Jefferson Davis cruise, so you know they’re going to stop here in Vicksburg.”

Glomstad said they’re going to be working with the cruises and everything has taken off for them.

“Vicksburg has been very good to us,” she said. “Every time we come down here things just happen. It’s like it’s meant to be.”