The annual Punk Rock Flea Market will be held at Trinity Lutheran Church (16400 Detroit Avenue, across the street from the Detroit Theatre), right here in Lakewood on Sunday, July 23rd.  This is the third time around for the Punk Rock Flea Market, and the event has gained a reputation for being a great way to check out lots of local and national bands... while picking up some excellent bargains at the vendor tables.  Entry to the Punk Rock Flea Market is only $5 and open to all ages.  The event will be taking place from noon until 10 p.m.

First there’s the “punk rock” part of the Punk Rock Flea Market, which will be provided by the 10 bands performing throughout the day.  The organizers of this event have made a wise decision in providing the punk rock that a name like Punk Rock Flea Market promises, while including enough bands from other genres to keep things interesting.  The two headlining national acts are New Hampshire’s Witches with Dicks, who, according to their website, are “a punk band that rips off Screeching Weasel, The Replacements, Jawbreaker, and the Lemonheads,” and from Boston, Mass. comes Lock and Key, a post-hardcore outfit along the lines of Hot Water Music.

The other eight acts are all local, with a variety ranging from thrash metal bands Iron Teeth and Insurrect to the more straight-ahead punk/hardcore Teenage Grenade, Horror of 59, Nereus & the Black Chairs, and Run Riot.  There’s also Plasma for Guns and Harlem Airshaft for a dose of indie rock, and post-hardcore outfit Saint Helena.  The chance to see 10 bands for only $5 is enough of a reason not to let the Punk Rock Flea Market pass you by.

Then there’s the “flea market” part of the Punk Rock Flea Market.  All-day music festivals often become tedious and tiring after a few hours, but the addition of the flea market provides insurance against boredom.  Since anyone attending this event is welcome to set up a table (for the stunningly reasonable fee of $10) the variety of stuff to buy is limited only by the variety of people selling.  It’s impossible to predict what you might find at the Punk Rock Flea Market, but expect a lot of music -- everything from CDs for sale by local musicians to rare vinyl culled from people’s collections.  There will be a selection of clothing, much of it new and handmade, but some secondhand goods as well.

Word has it that this will be the place to find a deal on a used leather motorcycle jacket.  An eclectic selection of local arts and crafts will also be on sale.

If great music and once-in-a-lifetime bargain hunting aren't tempting enough to get you to go to the Punk Rock Flea Market, another reason to attend is that all proceeds from the event will go to the Westhaven Youth Shelter at 3020 West 104th Street in Cleveland.  Westhaven is the only 24-hour emergency shelter in the Greater Cleveland area that has support services for both males and females from 11 to 17 years old.  The shelter's doors are open to teens who are homeless, awaiting permanent placement through foster care, or working towards reuniting with their families.

So, don’t forget!  Sunday, July 23rd is your chance to have fun for a good cause, right here in Lakewood... at the Punk Rock Flea Market!
  

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