The Birmingham Punk Rock Flea Market celebrates a decade in business this weekend, returning to Cahaba Brewing Company on Sunday, October 4, 2026, with more than 100 vendors from across the Southeast, live music, and a lineup of oddities, zines, art, records, and vintage finds. The free, all-ages event kicks off at noon at the brewery's East Avondale facility at 4500 5th Avenue South, and attendees are encouraged to show up in carnival-themed outfits for the anniversary edition.
The market's roots trace back to March 2016, when founder Raquel Duplin, who had recently moved to Alabama from Pennsylvania, launched the inaugural gathering at the music venue Saturn. According to Alabama Public Radio, Duplin started the market because standard local galleries rarely displayed the kind of unconventional artwork she wanted to showcase. What began as a single local event has since grown into a recurring draw. Alabama Public Radio reported that the market had held one to two markets each year, drawing vendors and attendees from Tuscaloosa, Leeds, and Cullman, along with other corners of the Southeast.
From Saturn to a 51,000-Square-Foot Gin Building
This year's celebration, as detailed by Homewood Star, will feature bands pulled from across the market's own history, including GT, who performed at the very first event in 2016, Matchi from 2021, Sqquat from 2022, and Kinzie, who played in 2024. DJ Up Dog is also set to spin inside Building B, nicknamed the Funhouse, rounding out a lineup that spans the market's full ten years.
The host venue has its own story of expansion. Cahaba Brewing Company relocated its operations in January 2016 from Birmingham's Lakeview district into a 51,000-square-foot facility inside the historic 1925 Continental Gin Building complex in East Avondale, according to Cahaba Brewing Co. The adaptive reuse project dramatically expanded the brewery's production capacity and gave it room to host large community gatherings.
More Than Vendor Booths
Over the years the market has stretched well beyond retail tables. Past editions have featured freak-show stunt performances, including glass-walking and bed-of-nails routines from acts Des Teni and Violet Gein, as reported by Alabama Public Radio. Those physical acts complement the market's live music roster and give the event a sideshow flavor that sets it apart from a typical craft fair.
At a 2023 market, the Greater Birmingham Humane Society held pet adoptions on-site, while the Tragic City Rollers roller derby league, Sidewalk Film Center, and independent station Substrate Radio set up tables alongside the craft vendors, Alabama Public Radio reported.
Part of a Bigger Scene
A First Friday punk night has been advertised at True Story Brewing Company.
Cahaba Brewing was founded in 2011 as a homebrew operation.
Birmingham's market is also part of a wider pattern of DIY flea markets scaling into lasting fixtures across the country. A similar market in Seattle is reaching its 20-year anniversary in 2026, with a $1 admission fee, as Hoodline previously reported. Sunday's event in Avondale carries no cover charge and remains open to all ages, with organizers reachable at 334-447-9099 for more information.
