It's a perfect time for shopping in the great outdoors

As the temps slowly climb, a growing number of local merchants are turning part-time meteorologists, keeping their eyes on the sky as they set up shop in the great outdoors — in plazas, on street corners and outside historic locales.

“Rain is a forbidden word during market season,” says Thea Morales, owner of Rosie’s Vintage, which busts out onto its 1-acre of property in Huntington to host a series of outdoor markets and themed shopping events for the year starting this month.

“I stress for at least two weeks before each market,” she says. “When I wake up in the morning and before I go to bed at night, I check three local weather stations for the most up-to-date weather report.”

Morales and Jacquelyn Conte, who operates the eclectic gift shop Wit & Whim from a cottage on the property, host monthly indoor/outdoor markets where local vendors spread out in tents across the grass, offering up a dazzling array of vintage fashion, furniture, retro toys, records and all sorts of oddities. Insect taxidermy? Bone art? Yep, you’ll find it there.

“It allows us to break out from the walls of our store,” says Morales, who also participates in Huntington’s annual outdoor Shop Hop for local antique stores.

On the East End, Hampton Flea + Vintage owner Kathy Murphy is more relaxed about the weather.

“When we see rain in the forecast we start saying lots of prayers, but have learned to not panic,” she says. Her beloved Hampton Fleas run rain or shine, so the night before, she updates vendors on weather patterns, and they come prepared with side panels and weights to keep tents protected and stable.

Fashion, food, photo ops

Besides enjoying the well-curated selection of upscale vintage apparel and accessories, Hampton Flea fans also get to step back in time. Murphy’s weekend pop-ups, which start May 24, appear at various eye-catching sites across the South Fork, including Sag Harbor’s Old Whalers’ Church, the Bridgehampton Museum and Montauk’s Second House Museum. All photo-worthy and a bonus for history buffs.

“An outdoor market lends itself to a more casual shopping experience, which often is hard to find in the Hamptons,” Murphy says. “Shopping should be fun and filled with a sense of discovery.”

That’s especially true at Back In Time, a Farmingdale antiques store that opens up a back courtyard for Wet Your Whistle Fridays, giving shoppers a chance to relax with beverages and light bites (baked treats from next door’s Elise’s Niece’s Cafe and mini pizzas from Borrelli’s in East Meadow) and a mini farmer’s market that also offers local fashion, granola and dog treats (starting in June).

Book lovers can do some shopping, listen to music and enjoy delicious food along Audrey Avenue in Oyster Bay on day 3 of the Gold Coast Book Fair on May 18. (Author readings, signings and discussions take place at LIU Post in Brookville on May 16 and 17.)

And check out the produce plus items from Oyster Bay artisans and shops, like hand-poured soy candles (Hooks & Wickery), decoupaged seashells (CC Shells) and hand-crocheted items (Amanda’s Cozy Creations) at the Oyster Bay Market which runs Sundays from Sept. 14 through Nov. 16 on Audrey Avenue.

Meeting customers old and new

No matter the merchandise, artists and shop owners alike note there’s a special appeal to shopping alfresco.

“We have a lot of Hamptons customers, so it’s nice to be able to go to them,” says Heidi Kelso, owner of the Greenport shop Lido and a frequent Flea vendor. It also gives Lido a chance to show off its natural-fiber resort wear, rugs and home decor to a host of new customers who might not otherwise find Lido on the North Fork.

“Every booth is an opportunity to connect with a local artist,” notes Sammi Metzger, director of Arts in the Plaza in Long Beach, which showcases photography, jewelry, fine art, clothing, home decor and other handcrafted goods throughout the spring and summer. Given its location — in Kennedy Plaza, just blocks from the ocean — AITP is more weather-dependent and will shout out cancellations on its website and social media.

“Working an outdoor market is challenging because we can’t control the weather, so I spend the week checking the forecast and preparing for what that day will bring,” says Beth Lerner, a South Shore jewelry designer who has sold her wares at Arts in the Plaza for the last 12 years. It’s the chance to interact with her customers one-on-one and meet fellow artists that keeps her in favor of outdoor shopping.

“Each year, I look forward to being back there again,” she says. “There’s a great sense of community and creativity that I love being a part of.”