PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) — For Portlanders who frequent secondhand clothing shops, “Out with the new, in with the old,” is the way the classic saying goes. This weekend, ThriftCon will embody just that.
After stopping in cities like Atlanta, Los Angeles and Houston, the thrifting convention — also known as “the world’s largest traveling vintage market” — will be hosted in the Portland Expo Center on Sunday, Aug. 27.
Portland attendees can shop from their favorite local businesses, such as the Kissing Booth, Matty Daddy Vintage and Tigersden Vintage, all in one spot. Residents will also have the opportunity to shop from the visiting vendors who sell clothing, accessories, sneakers, vinyl and homegoods.
Co-founders Ken Meade and Mario Conte launched ThriftCon in Denver in 2018, but at that point, it was a quaint market held in a parking lot.
The event has grown from these humble beginnings to hosting more than 40,000 attendees and 942 vendors across six cities in 2022, according to organizers.
Additionally, ThriftCon reports that last year’s events garnered $6.4 million in secondhand sales that went directly to small businesses.
In a statement, co-founder Conte said this accessibility is his favorite part of the thrifting world.
“There is such a wealth of knowledge available and the vintage community has opened up a lot of doors for people to create their own hustle,” Conte said.
Some items at ThriftCon date back to the 1950s, a time before 11.3 million tons of textile waste were dumped into landfills each year. According to experts, secondhand shopping can help mitigate waste.
Conte said thrifting helps to conserve history, too.
“We aren’t just buying, selling, [and] trading clothing, either,” he said. “We’re investing in the stories, history, education and culture behind the pieces.”
Portland’s ThriftCon kicks off this Sunday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. General admission tickets are $12 online, $20 at the door, or $8 for the last to buy discounted tickets from Ezze.
Attendees can donate their own used clothing at the event as well.
