It was hunting season at the Mower County Fairgrounds this weekend — treasure hunting that is.

Good crowds turned out for the annual Three River Days Antique Sale and Flea Market

About 48 dealers — up from about 35 last year — filled three buildings at the fairgrounds and was the biggest turnout of any year.

“It’s a really good event,” said Al Smith, an organizer and dealer.

The flea market partnered with the Mower County Humane Society’s rummage sale and a horse show. Smith noted the more events going on, the more people who would come.

The event was open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday with free admittance and parking. The event is always held the first weekend of June.

For many, the flea markets are all about nostalgia. Ed Kuhlman made his first trip out to the flea market to sell paper ephemera like old advertisements, magazines, newspapers, sports programs, railroad maps, automobile items, maps and more.

Much of what he sells is driven by memories. Kuhlman had old “Readers’ Digests” that talked about Adolph Hitler’s rise to power in Germany.

“I think it’s nostalgia,” he said. “I have a lot of ‘Life’ magazines, and people will look through that, and you can kind of see your life as a kid.”

The papers are mostly bought in bulk and sifted through. Most sales and items aren’t driven by value, as the rarest items hold the most value. Kuhlman sold a New Orleans Time-Picayune from 1896 with color pictures of parade floats that sold for $320.

The bulk of the items at Kuhlman’s booth are older, mainly after the Great Depression. After the depression, people tended to save almost everything, which isn’t the case now, Kuhlman argued.

Kuhlman said a wide variety of people of all ages come out to the sale.

For others like Smith, flea markets are a passion. Smith said flea markets are his number one hobby, and he spends much of his free time at markets over the summer.

“It’s just my passion,” Smith said. Smith, like many other dealers have auctioned.

Smith sells vinyl, and he’d already sold more than a 100 records by noon Saturday.

A wide variety of things were available: antiques, jewelry, vinyl, musical instruments, furniture, collectibles and more.

“There’s just a little bit of everything,” Smith said.

Some dealers put a new spin on the old. Nedra Strouf specializes in memory bears from keepsakes like favorite outfits or old blankets.

She first made bears from her father’s denim jeans for herself and her siblings. She then started making the bears for $20 a piece for people.

Strouf makes other craft items like table runners, bags, Minnesota Vikings and Twins bears and more.

“I’ve sold a lot of them,” she said. “I’ve made them out of wedding dresses, World War II uniforms, night gowns, denim pants, pajama pants, T-shirts — most anything.”

Much more than antiques were available. Judy Laskewitz, who owns Olde Tyme Antiques with her husband, David, took up an entire corner of one building to showcase items from four estate sales.

Laskewitz has been antiquing since the 1960s.

Five paid workers helped Laskewitz with her sale on Saturday, and she hauled in multiple trailers of items like beds and bedroom sets.

“My husband and I both collect antiques. Our house is full of antiques,” she said.

After the sale, all of Laskewitz’s items left over are donated to local thrift stores.