“You can’t repeat the past? Why of course you can.” 

As goes this quip from “The Great Gatsby,” this Sunday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., the 5th Street Vintage market returns with entirely handcrafted vintage artwork, antique jewelry, vinyl records, historic novels and other hidden curiosities the market has tucked up its sleeve. From authentically hand-pieced and refurbished furniture to a variety of aromatic soaps, this market is truly a blast from the past. 

With nearly 30 vendors tucked comfortably under a pavilion in Northport, event curators Lori Watts, Sylvia Parker and Jamie Cicatiello have high hopes for this year’s markets, rain or shine, after putting together close to 40 markets over the last five years. 

“This isn’t just your run-of-the-mill flea market,” Watts said. “We hand pick the vendors, and they’re quite the motley crew. Everyone with a stand at the market is so incredibly eclectic and unique and knowledgeable about what they sell. No one just puts out things that have been assembled, we only take things that are truly handmade.”

To maintain the notable character of the market and keep each event special, the market curators have decided to scale back to four markets each year rather than the usual eight. 

“We really just want to refocus each event and keep things incredibly special market to market,” Parker said. “We’re pulling things back in to keep things special, to keep each go-around new and growing, so no one will ever take the market for granted.”

In a “what goes around comes around” nature, those like Watts, Parker and Cicatiello have maintained a passion for the past since they began collecting and selling various vintage goods throughout their high school and college years. Now, they’ve furthered their passion in Tuscaloosa since the first market in December of 2012, before which they spent nearly six months planning before kick-starting the event.

“Right out of the gate we were surprisingly successful,” Watts said. “We were waiting on the perfect location, and low and behold the pavilion was built, and the timing was just fantastic. We just thought, the more use we can get out of this stuff rather than just tossing it to the side, the better, and I guess the community agreed.”

As the market maintains success within the Tuscaloosa and Northport communities, the event curators continuously devote their time and effort to a market they feel has become much more than just a place to buy and sell vintage goods. 

“This has become our lives, not just a hobby,” Cicatiello said. “It has been a labor of love, as a roller coaster of nearly 40 different markets have come and gone. Yet, the vintage goods and relationships developed through the market have carried through for years on end, as we have vendors who have sold at every single market, and individuals who have shown up to shop at each and every one.”

The market has been an outlet for many college students on a budget, just as thrift stores inspire shoppers like Parker.

“I started buying vintage as soon as I had my own money as a teenager,” Parker said. “This was partly because at that time I wanted nice clothing but I couldn’t really afford to spend a lot on new clothes. I found these fabulous dresses from the 40s and 50s in thrift stores that were really cheap, and things just kept rolling from there.”

To keep the vintage spark alive, all three event curators hope to incorporate more and more students into the markets to come, either as buyers or sellers.  

“We would love to have more of a connection with the students,” Watts said. “We’re encouraging people from the university community to come and be vendors and sell all of their handcrafted and collected products.”

The market is this Sunday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Northport Farmer’s Market, and admission is free. The other market date this school year are Dec. 3, March 4 and June 3. Those interested in contributing to future markets can apply online at http://5thstreetvintagemarket.com/