Published: June 06, 2008 12:59 am      

1st U.S. 23 yard sale a success

ASHLAND — The first U.S. 23 Country Music Highway Yard Sale was a hit.

Hundreds of bargain hunters, many from out of state, rewarded the efforts of organizers and vendors during last weekend’s yard sale event, which stretched from Greenup to Letcher County.

“There was a total of 173 set-ups with products ranging from clothes, tools, antiques and wagons to countless other items and collectibles,” said Floyd County Tourism Director Fred James, who recorded a total of 18 vendors in that area. “The overwhelming comment was ‘We’ve done good and want to do it again.’”

Greenup County Tourism Director Kelly Nelson reported about 15 yard sale vendors, including many who chose to use their own property for the event.

“We had two vendors at the McConnell House, about six vendors at the Rotary Park in South Shore and I know we had some in the lot beside the Best Western in Russell, but I’m not sure how many,” Nelson reported.

Boyd County’s yard sale participation was concentrated in a single location near Sargent’s Tires.

Ashland Area Convention & Visitors Bureau spokesman MaryAnn York said the office received a considerable volume of telephone calls from people interested in possibly participating in next year’s U.S. 23 yard sale.

Sandra Jobe of the Lawrence County Tourism Commission reported strong participation in the yard sale there.

“The committee really isn’t sure how many folks set up for a sale, but I would say Lawrence County had somewhere around 75 yard sales all along 23,” Jobe said. “Some were off the main road but had signs out with arrows pointing the directions.”

Roger Mollette at the Martin County Extension Office said he spoke with several who traveled the entire road during the first unified yard sale effort.

“The Martin County section of the yard sale was a success. We had about 15 vendors to participate,” Mollette said. “Thursday was the best day, Friday second and Saturday was not good at all.”

Laneda Fuller with the Johnson County Tourism Commission said more than a dozen yard sale vendors participated there.

“I had several people who stopped in the office and said they were worn out from stopping at yard sales,” Fuller said.

Phyllis Hunt, executive director of Pike County Tourism, reported tremendous participation in that region, with 30 to 35 yard sale sites during the weekend.

Organizers have also launched a Web site, www.ky23yardsale.com, for next year’s Country Music Highway Yard Sale.

TIM PRESTON can be reached at tpreston@dailyindependent.com or at (606) 326-2651.