St. Regis flea market helps fund local schools

St. Regis, Mont. — The St. Regis Flea Market brought together a long-running community tradition while raising money for local schools.

Kassie Cheesman, the event’s director, explained that proceeds from the market support schools in St. Regis, giving the small town an important source of education funding. She also said the event carries a great deal of personal meaning to her.

“I started helping Ida when I was eight, and we have vendors have been here 30 plus years that that just keep coming back because they like the community, they like the area they're in and the relationships they start building with the vendors next to them,” Cheesman said.

That sense of connection also keeps vendors returning to St. Regis.

“At least ten or probably 15 years. This is the largest flea market in Montana [with] pretty amazing people. A lot of good friends I've made here,” John Houlihan, owner of O’Houlis Kettlecorn, said.

Vendor George Hill said shoppers could find a wide mix of items across more than 200 vendors at the market.

“If you're looking for stuff, you're gonna find just about anything that you might be looking for. And and the dealers are pretty reasonable. You meet people, they tell you all these stories about what they buy and the treasures,” Hill said.

Cheesman said next year mark the flea market’s 50th anniversary. She said organizers planned to make it bigger with more food and live music.