WILLIAMS, CA (MPG) — Rows of glass bottles in shades of blue, amber, and green will take center stage when the Sacramento Valley Museum hosts its annual Antique Bottle Show on Oct. 3 and 4.
Now in its fifth year, the show has become a tradition for collectors and casual visitors alike. This year the event will include a special exhibit featuring bottles recently dug in Colusa County.
“We will have a couple of local diggers who have extracted a lot of bottles who are going to showcase them,” said show chair Cristy Edwards. “Last year our son and a friend dug a couple of rare insulators out of a dump. It was neat to get educated on the different types and colors from their display.”
Visitors can expect about 20 vendor tables with a variety of whiskey bottles, soda bottles, insulators, and other antiques. Vendors and collectors often overlap, bringing specialized knowledge and stories of rare finds.
The show opens Friday, Oct. 3, with an early bird admission from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. for $20. Saturday, Oct. 4, runs from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. and is free for the public.
“This event is a fundraiser to help cover operational expenses at the museum,” said Slim Edwards, who co-chairs the show. “The early bird admission gives people a first shot at the highly sought bottles, while Saturday is open so the whole community can come without a cost.”
Collectors, families, and first-time visitors are all expected to attend. Cristy Edwards said the show often feels like a family gathering, with longtime vendors and collectors sharing stories across tables.
“There are people who come looking for a particular bottle, or a color variant, or even an imperfect embossing that makes it rare,” she said. “We also have gold rush era collectors and people interested in local springs. It’s really about looking back in time and chatting with the dealers.”
In addition to browsing the vendor tables, visitors are encouraged to explore the museum’s permanent displays. Proceeds from table fees and admissions go directly to the museum, which relies on community support to keep its exhibits open.
For first-time visitors, the Edwardses recommend asking plenty of questions. “The vendors are a wealth of knowledge,” Cristy Edwards said.
The Sacramento Valley Museum is located at 1491 E Street in Williams.