by Fran Kramer

No Sleepy Hollow was this 23rd annual two-day Rhinebeck Antiques Fair held in historic Rhinebeck (population 2500), New York, along the Hudson River south of Albany and north of the routes leading to Manhattan. On the contrary, it was bustling and booming with a record gate the first day, May 29.

"Best Rhinebeck ever," said dealer Denny Tracey of Ann Arbor, Michigan.

"We sold in the five figures before the show even opened," said Village Braider, Plymouth, Massachusetts.

"Hot or cold, rain or shine, weather does not matter at Rhinebeck," said Mary Webb of Pittsford, New York.

"My best spring show ever in the twenty-three years I have done Rhinebeck," said Corinne Burke of Ridgefield, Connecticut.

Inside four buildings at the Dutchess County Fairgrounds in Rhinebeck, it was a frenzy. Sold tickets appeared everywhere, on birdbaths, birdcages, and birdhouses; on wire and wicker and rustic; on "country stuff" and "city stuff"; on formal and informal.

No nightmares, just dreams come true for the 190 exhibitors and promoter Jimi Barton. Rhinebeck was the brainchild of the late Bill Walter, a gentlemanly college professor who built Rhinebeck into a show to be reckoned with. Twice a year, on Memorial Day weekend and Columbus Day weekend, he filled the parking lots and exhibit halls of the fairgrounds.

When he died in 1976, Jimi Barton, who already had been Walter's alter ego, continued the tradition with a few innovations of his own, the latest being a third show to be held July 24.

"My dealers kept asking for another show—a one-day show—in the summer, and so I started looking for a place, figuring the fairgrounds were not available. When the Chamber of Commerce and other folks heard this, they said, `Come on back to the fairgrounds.' And so we are. We hope to pick up tourist traffic plus the pre-New Hampshire week dealers. They have to buy some place, so it may as well be here," said Barton.

Barton runs a tight ship. For example, don't even think about wrangling some way to get in early; it doesn't happen. For another, if you're a show promoter, don't even think about soliciting dealers at Rhinebeck for your show.

"We take out ads in the trade papers and list our dealers' phone numbers. So if any promoter wants to contact someone, there is the opportunity. Just don't come to my shows with posters or contracts or even verbal offers for other shows," Barton stated. "Show cards are okay, we have a table for them, but that's it."

So what's Rhinebeck's allure?

Some of the most lively, imaginative dealers anyplace, and some of the most interesting items at any show. Rhinebeck is fun.

Fun for the mainly retail buyers, those decorators from the city, along with country folks who own homes on the quiet country roads in the area. Fun for the dealers and fun for the collectors whose tastes really do run the gamut from the sublime to the you-know-what.

The food service is excellent with lots of variety and lots of picnic tables. Parking is very organized, the show office is very visible, and the aisles are wide.

Because the fairgrounds does not allow cars near the exhibit halls, all large purchases have to be picked up at dealer booths by Barton's staff and then transported to central areas in the parking lots where buyers can load their cars and vans. Sales slips need to be made for all of these purchases, and this gives Barton a record of what and how much has been sold. The numbers grow with every show, according to Barton.

Only about 16 new exhibitors from the extensive waiting list made it into the show; dealer loyalty seems strong.

The July event has been sold out since January. Even some of Barton's regulars missed the boat by waiting, and since one building will not be available then, the show had to be reduced to 165 exhibitors.

Rhinebeck is on its way to becoming another legend in the Hudson Valley.

Upcoming show dates are July 24, and October 9-10. For more information, call (914) 758-6186, or write The Rhinebeck Antiques Fair, PO Box 310, Red Hook, NY 12571.