Orrington Endless Yard Sale
Background
Orrington’s Endless Yard Sale is an event organized by Orrington Old Home Week Committee, a non-profit organization dedicated to promoting the town of Orrington. While Old Home Week has celebrated the history of Orrington for decades, the Endless Yard Sale was first introduced in 2013 to highlight the town’s vibrant culture. Today, the Endless Yard Sale not only draws in visitors from across the state but also reduces waste by promoting reuse.
Getting Started
The Endless Yard Sale was established in 2013 to celebrate Orrington’s 225th anniversary. The Old Home Week Committee urged residents to plan their yard sales to coincide with the event. While the town normally charges a permit fee for yard sales, this fee is waived during the Endless Yard Sale, creating an additional incentive to participate.
Outcomes
Orrington’s Endless Yard Sale is a three-day event that occurs, rain or shine, in July. Residents register their yard sales with the town and are included in an Endless Yard Sale “treasure map” that is distributed to visitors and shoppers online and in local businesses. Local food establishments also join in the event, which draws thousands of people from across the state and region, from Atlantic Canada to Florida. In 2016, over 100 yard sales were hosted as part of Orrington’s Endless Yard Sale. The event is promoted throughout New England, drawing in tourists and locals with “the thrill of the hunt.”