Sydenham Sells Out On May 25

Jeff Green | Apr 17, 2013

Bargain hunters mark that date on your calendar.

From top to bottom, the village of Sydenham will be filled with yard and sidewalk vendors selling any and all kinds of items. A number of local businesses will be holding sidewalk sales and/or putting on specials for the day as well.

This first time local event is being organized by Anne-Marie Young, a relative newcomer to the village. By day, Anne-Marie is the Economic Development Officer for Frontenac County, but she has a history with this kind of event, and she wants to bring it to her new home town.

“I was involved in the start of a village-wide yard sale when I was living in Williamsburgh, a small town near Morrisburgh. I was the manager of a local Canadian Tire store at the time, and in the first year 1,500 customers came to the store that day when there would normally have been about 300, so it worked for the business community and the local residents as well. The Canadian Tire store is gone from Williamsburgh now, but the village yard sale is going strong after 20 years,” she said.

Last weekend Young approached a number of businesses and other local residents about the idea, and received a universally positive response, so the event is a go.

“I wasn't sure how people would react to me, because a lot of people don't know me in Sydenham yet, but everyone seemed to like the idea once I explained how it works,” she said.

One of the nice things about this kind of event, Young added, is that there are no real hard and fast rules. All people have to do it set up a yard sale on that day, although she said she would like people, and businesses, to contact her beforehand so she can publicise where there will be yard sales taking place.

A number of businesses are already committed to participating in the event, which will take place on the Saturday after the Victoria Day weekend.

“There are a lot of events scheduled for the long weekend,” said Young, “and I thought the following weekend would be a better idea, even though it is a busy weekend as well.”

It will likely be a busy Saturday in Sydenham on the 25th, particularly between 8 am and 2 pm when the yard and sidewalk sale is scheduled. For further information and to confirm participation, call Anne Marie at 613-376-3519.