On Tuesday, March 19, students and community members gathered at Binghamton University for the most recent flea market, hosted by the Student Association Programming Board (SAPB). For the first time, the flea market included student artists in addition to local businesses. Inside the Mandela Room were numerous vendors selling a variety of merchandise including crocheted items, second-hand clothing, vintage clothing and handmade jewelry. The event ran from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m., drawing interest from both vendors and buyers alike.

The event was organized by Sarah Crawford, the fundraising and collaborations director of SAPB and a senior double-majoring in philosophy, politics, and law and business administration, as well as Siriki Doumbia, the fundraising and collaborations assistant director and a junior majoring in business administration.

“We’ve organized this event with the aim of offering a platform for students with businesses to showcase and sell their products, while also providing others the chance to discover and purchase unique items right here on campus,” Crawford and Doumbia stated in an email.

They also shared their main goals they hope to achieve through having the flea market.

“Our primary objectives for this event are twofold — to expand the vendor base and to boost attendance, all within an atmosphere of joy and camaraderie,” Crawford and Doumbia wrote.

Though the majority of vendors were clothing-based, there was also a variety of products being offered by small businesses or student organizations. One of them being Laura Zibbon, a senior majoring in business administration, who tabled her handmade items such as clay earrings, glassware, keychains and more from her business “Love Laura Nicole.”

“I think [the flea market] definitely helps get everybody involved and inspires others to maybe start a business or start a hobby,” Zibbon said. “It’s been good to see it grow from only 10 vendors to how big it is today.”

Two members of The Feminist Collective also tabled on behalf of the organization. Mia DeVito, a junior majoring in sociology, and Aleena Paulson, a junior majoring in political science, sold crocheted items in an effort to raise money for their organization.

“I like talking to people and meeting new people,” DeVito said. “I feel like it’s a great way to do that while doing something productive at the same time.”

Paulson described why having an on-campus flea market is important to the BU community.

“I think it’s kind of interesting to see what the students are making,” Paulson said. “These are all our fellow peers, and they all have such cool clothes and hobbies … and it’s nice to see that.”

DeVito went on to say how they feel the event benefits the campus community and promotes small businesses.

“I’m just looking around, and I haven’t heard of a lot of these things, so I feel like it’s a great way to find local businesses and other student businesses,” DeVito said.

Uniquely, the Henna Club was not providing products but rather a service to attendees by offering henna. Sumaita Nazifa, co-president of Henna Club and a senior majoring in English, stated that this was the second campus flea market they have participated in.

“I think it’s a really good way for us to showcase our [organization] just because people who show up to this won’t really know about Henna Club,” Nazifa said. “So it’s a good way for us to network while also just getting our name out there.”

They went on to say how they feel that having the flea market is a good way to promote businesses in the Binghamton area.

“I think the thrift stores in Binghamton are not really well-known, especially the smaller ones,” Nazifa said. “So this is a good way for them to come out here and show off their goods and thrift items.”

Aish Barua, the art director for Henna Club and a junior majoring in industrial and systems engineering, also shared her enthusiasm for participating in the event.

“I really like thrifting and going to flea markets and stuff like that,” Barua said. “I’ve always been to these flea markets, and I think they’re just cool, and I was like ‘I would love to be one of the vendors’.’’

Overall, the flea market again was a success, drawing interest from buyers who were able to indulge in secondhand or handmade goods while student organizations and businesses promoted their product to the campus community.