Trenton may no longer be the manufacturing hub it once was, but it has become a mecca for artists.
The slogan "Trenton Makes, the World Takes" reflected a boastful pride the city had when the phrase was coined more than 100 years ago. It was the height of the Industrial Revolution, when cities like Trenton were humming with smoke-stack enterprises.
But that slogan rang hallow by the close of the 20th century. The skeletons of empty factories remained as sad reminders of a bygone era when Trenton was a manufacturing powerhouse that supplied steel, pottery, rubber and countless other products to the world.
Today, the biggest surviving business in Trenton is government and the slightly altered phrase "Trenton Makes, the State Takes" might be more appropriate.
But if you look closely, you will see that Trenton is a budding arts destination.
The successful Trenton Punk Rock Flea Market is just the latest example of how the capital city is reinventing itself.
The two-day event earlier this month attracted thousands of people to the repurposed Historic Roebling Machine Shop, where wire rope for bridges and elevators once was spun.
Cools things found at the flea market
More than 400 vendors were on hand to sell everything from the mundane to the ridiculous. It was the kind of event where you could buy a purse with brass knuckles on it or jewelry with skull and bones motifs. And if you wanted kitsch, there was plenty of that, too.
Sure, it's odd-ball, but that's the attraction and fun of the annual Punk Rock Flea Market that was first held in 2013.
One regular flea market attendee, who collects old license plates and crafts them into personalized signs, commented, "This is one of the few flea markets you go to where you can find real art."
Another blossoming cultural venue that has become a fixture in Trenton is the well-attended Art All Night event.
It is literally a 24-hour non-stop extravaganza of art and music designed to showcase the visual, performing and functional arts from children's refrigerator drawings to accomplished artist. It has grown over the past decade to feature thousands of local artists and dozens of bands. Last year, more than 25,000 people attended the event.
This year's 10th anniversary edition will be held June 18 to 19 at the Roebling site at 675 S. Clinton Ave. The event is free, another nice touch.
Trenton has other assets that attract visitors.
Art All Night in Trenton (PHOTOS)
Its critical role in the Revolutionary War is celebrated annually during Patriots Week between Christmas and New Year's and it draws thousands of spectators to a wide range of activities from battlefield re-enactments to living history events.
Trenton's history also is enshrined in the William Trent House and Old Barracks Museum.
And for summertime outings, the Trenton Thunder baseball team attracts sports fans young and old to spectator-friendly Arm & Hammer Park next to the Delaware River.
Another popular draw Trenton has is the popular State Museum and Planetarium, a favorite for school children and adults.
Trenton has many other art and cultural gems, including Grounds for Sculpture, that make the city a destination for visitors.
The city may not be the manufacturing powerhouse it once was, but it still has a lot to offer.