On The Square Antique Fair crowns its first weekend with record‑breaking 6,000‑plus visitors

On The Square Emporium, Belfast hosted an Antique fair in its new premises earmarked to open permanently in 2026.

Bangor’s new vintage showcase instantly becomes the largest antiques event in Northern Ireland

Bangor, Co. Down — Sunshine, vintage music and the clink of fine china filled the historic glasshouses of the former Dickson’s Garden Centre this weekend as 6,000+ collectors, families and four‑legged friends poured into the debut On The Square Antique Fair.

“I could not have comprehended a better fair. We totally underestimated the numbers—it’s the best fair we’ve ever attended.”
— Grahame Boothe, Natural Room Emporium

A FAIR (AND A FESTIVAL)

40+ hand‑picked stalls curated from across Northern Ireland and Donegal showcased everything from Fine Georgian and Victorian Antiques to French country furniture and Art‑Deco jewellery to vintage vinyl, enamel signs, Irish whiskey memorabilia, RUC & military artefacts and one‑of‑a‑kind private collections.

A few months of preparation went into creating Northern Irelands Largest Antique fair and possibly the biggest in Ireland. There was over two hundred people queued at the door ready to come in at the opening at 10am on Saturday morning. By noon 1600 had already come through the door. Sunday was not as frantic, but still had 2750 people. Over 6,000 came through the doors over the two days. An unprecedented numbers for Northern Ireland!

International reach: dealers in France and Belgium have already asked to exhibit at the next edition, citing Northern Ireland’s unique post‑Brexit gateway to both EU and UK buyers.

A good contingent travelled up from the South to check out the fair too.

Family flair: recently released How to Train Your Dragon film‑set doors framed a selfie zone where children posed with movie swords and shields before diving into classic games—hook‑a‑duck, ring‑toss and cornhole—while a bouncy castle and face‑painting kept queues smiling, creating the perfect family day out that had something for everyone.

Four‑paw welcome: more than 100 dogs trotted through the aisles, enjoying complimentary water stations and photo‑ops.

Local flavour: 2 Taps kept everyone fed and watered with their delicious food that was well received, alongside artisan coffee, paella and loaded baby potatoes, turning the forecourt into Bangor’s happiest picnic lawn.

WHAT THE CROWD SAID

• “Brilliant selection of stands and helpful staff—the Glastonbury of antiques!” — Stephen Ashton, visitor
• “What a fabulous event! Our whole family loved it and it’s great to have something worth going to right on our doorstep.” — Patricia Thompson, visitor
• “We were there early and had a great experience! All staff and stall holders were fab!” — Carla McCann, visitor
• “Great atmosphere, and a fun day” — Steve Higgins, visitor
• “Hope we don’t have to wait too long for the next one. Well done!” — Gillian McKnight, visitor
• “Great to see it so busy—there’s a huge market for events like this in Ireland.” — Donna McClelland, visitor
• “It was a great event, fantastic to have such a great mix of sellers and things for families too.” — Jane Dazzle, visitor

NEW BENCHMARK FOR DEALERS

Dealer feedback has been overwhelmingly positive, with exhibitors describing unprecedented success:

• Multiple dealers confirmed this was their best-performing fair ever
• Traders reported exceptional visitor quality and purchasing power
• 100% of dealers confirmed they would return for the next event
• Many dealers have already expressed interest in securing spots for future events
• 100% of surveyed dealers rated the event 9 or 10 out of 10 for likelihood to recommend to other dealers

What the dealers said:

“This was my best fair… To be honest it’s hard to fault, good secure venue in a great location, flexible set-up and break down, helpful accommodating staff, great attendance and atmosphere.”
— Grahame Boothe, The Natural Room Emporium

“Good communication and really helpful staff everywhere loved the enthusiasm of the young people doing parking etc… June Fair was amazing Never saw public attendance like that anywhere in Ireland.”
— TC Antiques and Collectables

“Fantastic fair, well organised, with great staff and a fantastic atmosphere… Just an overall really enjoyable experience.”
— The Vintage Guy

“Great atmosphere and plenty of footfall. Staff were all amazing too… We had a great time and had very good sales and also had a boost to our shop profiles online.”
— Sinister

“Really was a breath of fresh air for Bangor as an attraction for the public… Some fantastic items on display. Great sales and overall a positive experience from a seller’s point of view.”
— Anonymous dealer

“The staff are so friendly and approachable, venue was amazing and the overall atmosphere was brilliant… it was simply brilliant and just what NI needs!”
— Anonymous dealer

“The feedback from all the traders has been fantastic. This was a much-needed event for Bangor, and the overwhelmingly positive response shows there’s a real appetite for quality antique fairs in Northern Ireland.”
— Chrissi Ferris, Event Organizer, On The Square Emporium

FAST FACTS

WHAT’S NEXT?

The venue will become the new Flagship for On The Square Emporium in late 2026 / early 2027 but in the meantime more Antique fairs are on the horizon.

Planning is already under way for an Autumn/Winter edition with additional halls and an outdoor vintage arcade. Traders interested in exhibiting can register at onthesquareantiquefair.com.

“The response has been phenomenal—we’ve had inquiries from across Ireland, the UK, and even continental Europe. This proves there’s a massive appetite for high-quality antique events in Northern Ireland.”
— Conor Stewart, Marketing Manager, On The Square Emporium

“What we’ve created here is more than just an antique fair—it’s a destination experience that brings together the best of Northern Ireland’s hospitality, history, and heritage. This is just the beginning of our vision for On The Square.”
— Justin Lowry, Proprietor, On The Square Emporium