As American as apple pie and attracting hundreds of thousands of bargain hunting road trippers, the annual World's Longest Yard Sale starts on the first Thursday in August and continues four days through the weekend, ending on Sunday. Thousands of vendors take part in the sale each year, including families selling second-hand goods from their yards as well as professional vendors grouped in central rented spaces selling everything from antiques and regional hand-made crafts to new and used household items, clothing, jewelry, trinkets, collectibles and more.
Headquartered in Jamestown, Tennessee at the Fentress County Chamber of Commerce, this unique event was first held in 1987 to lure travelers off of the interstate highways and onto the scenic back roads along the Route 127 corridor through Kentucky and Tennessee. Also known as the Highway 127 Corridor Sale, the event expanded a few years later to include the Lookout Mountain Parkway from Chattanooga into the northwestern corner of Georgia. Today the sale extends 690 miles from Gadsden, Alabama all the way up to north of Addison, Michigan.
In addition to offering a truly unique shopping experience, there are more than three hundred attractions along the route to enjoy including parks, hiking and riding trails, historic and cultural sites, majestic vistas, regional music, river activities and waterfalls. The downside is slow to barely moving bumper-to-bumper traffic in certain congested spots, but most seasoned sale-goers know to expect this and plan accordingly.
2012 World's Longest Yard Sale
August 2 - 5 (25th Anniversary)
Things to Remember
A few things to remember if planning to attend the World's Longest Yard Sale include:
- Bring wads of cash.
- Pack plenty of snacks and water for the times that you are stuck in traffic.
- Don't let your gas tank get too close to empty.
- Make lodging and campground reservations well ahead of time.
- Expect congested and slow moving traffic with occasional sudden stops and leave any inclinations toward road rage at home.
- Allow at least a little extra time to enjoy some of the region's wonderful attractions.
Additional Information
- About.com's Guide to Coupons and Bargains offers lots of great Tips for Visiting the World's Longest Yard Sale.
- Visit the World's Longest Yard Sale Website.
- Download the World's Longest Yard Sale Brochure. Note the inside of the brochure contains a helpful map.
- Find out about other great yard sale road trips.
