founder and director

At nineteen years old, I created the first ever night flea market called the Backyard Flea in Ithaca, NY. The Backyard Flea was a vintage night market that took place every Wednesday with over twenty vendors, food trucks, local DJ's and a outbar. This project was meant to bring the community together which is what exactly happened. I managed all parts of the brand by leading strategy to securing vendor partnerships. My responsibilities included vendor negotiations, event opporations, website development, project management, digital marketing, advertising, public relations tactics, and job recruitment. With over two thousand instagram followers in just a few months, the Backyard Flea became one of the most talked about events in the ithaca area.

building the brand

Creating The Backyard Flea was more than just designing a name and logo—it was about building a brand with purpose, vision, and a community-driven mission. I identified a gap in the market and saw an opportunity to create something that truly mattered. From the start, my goal was clear: to cultivate a space where creativity could flourish, connections could thrive, and lasting memories could be made.

The idea for The Backyard Flea was born from my passion for community, creativity, and craftsmanship. I saw a growing demand for a more inclusive and engaging space in the area—something beyond traditional markets or commercial events. At the time, Ithaca lacked vibrant nighttime events and dedicated spaces for clothing and independent artists. Many creatives and small businesses struggled to find an authentic platform to connect with their audiences. Recognizing this, I set out to merge these elements into one unique experience. To bring the vision to life, I partnered with the owners of Northstar Public House, transforming the idea into a dynamic, community-driven event.

FIRST EVER BACKYARD FLEA POSTER DESIGNED BY myself :)

Brand elements developed from an outside source

click the star for the backyard flea website

Independently developed by myself as well!

Instagram: backyard_flea

key results and impact

Led targeted outreach campaigns to over 100 local small businesses, achieving a 80% vendor retention rate and growing the event’s footprint by 150% within its first season
Achieved strong digital ad performance with the top advertement reaching 4,017 users, generating 11,037 impressions, and driving a 5.28% click-through rate — exceeding industry benchmarks for local event marketing
Produced the Backyard Flea’s most successful organic social media piece — an Instagram Reel that garnered over 21,000 views, reached 15,281 unique users (88.1% non-followers), generated 1,895 interactions, and drove 281 new followers without paid promotion.
Independently built and managed the businesses website by attracting 3.8K total visits, 3.1K unique visitors, and 6.5K page views in 2025 — achieving over 10K search impressions through effective keyword optimization and SEO strategy.
Built and led a dedicated team of 5 individuals, aligning roles and responsibilities to scale operations and support rapid event growth

2024 season

13 markets.

3,000 customers.

With over 20 vendors attending each market, I engaged with over 150 businesses during the Backyard Fleas 2024 season, generating 100 unique vendor connections that drove a 25% increase in local sales. Along with establishing a social media presence of nearly 3,000 followers with an outreach scope of up to 50,000 viewers, furthering brand visibility. I advanced social media content strategy, identifying audience segments, and creating a content calendar to support business goals throughout a 5-month period. Developed multiple direct response advertisements a week, translating to over 200 customers present every market.

backyard flea 2024 social media content

advertising

Graphic design and copy write by Ella Hamilton.

Vendor lineups for both the 2024 and 2025 seasons were strategically released five days prior to each market to build anticipation and keep the event top-of-mind for customers.

2025 season

10 markets.

2,000 customers.

The 2025 Backyard Flea season presented unique challenges, as rising inflation, increased regulatory pressures on small businesses, and Cornell University’s layoffs and hiring freezes impacted Ithaca’s local economy and consumer spending. Unfortunately half of our scheduled events got cancelled due to weather conditions, leaving little time to hold markets. But, our team made due with the time we had. We made over 50 brand new vendor connections resulting in a more diverse group of products being sold at the market. Gained over 1,500 new followers on social media and created viral content gathering new audiences.

backyard flea 2025 social media content

advertising

Social media is our primary channel of outreach, allowing us to connect with the community, promote vendors, and build excitement leading up to each event. Through engaging content and strategic promotion, we attracted a diverse audience and foster a strong local following.