Massive spring garage sales being planned around Kamloops, Okanagan

What began as a small yard sale among a West Kelowna neighbourhood has quickly grown into something its organizer never anticipated.

Marni Murray said she’s an admin for a community Facebook group and decided to hold a poll since there was interest in hosting a Glenrosa community yard sale. She never expected 100 houses to register for the first event, “but here we are,” she said.

The event begins Saturday, April 30 at 9 a.m. A free pancake breakfast is also being offered at the Morningstar Bible Camp from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m.

“We have never held a community event in Glenrosa and I think with COVID and everyone being cooped up for so long and not being able to engage with their community, this was a much-needed event to re-establish connections,” Murray said. 

“We have had lots of new members move here recently and they haven't been able to meet their fellow neighbours and this provides a great opportunity for everyone to get out, meet one another, have breakfast together, and enjoy the weather as we step back into some normalcy this spring.”

Kelowna’s Kettle Valley Neighbourhood Association has long held large yard sales within the community.

During the last few years with COVID-19, amid event cancellations and everything up in the air with organizing, he was surprised to see 200 homes have signed up for the garage sale on May 7 from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m.

This will be the neighbourhood’s 22nd event and they expect to see more than 2,000 shoppers.

“Two years being in lockdown, I think people are feeling grateful for the neighbourhood that they live in… and of course, it’s about hoarding two years' worth of stuff,” said the association’s president Dave Cartwright. “If you didn’t get a dog, a Peloton or a pool, I’m surprised because those are the top three things that happened in Kettle Valley.”

Residents are anxious to see each other and connect with one another, which is why he thinks the turnout so far has been so positive.

This year, the Chute Lake Elementary school parking lot will serve as the hub for the sale and will have an artisan market as well as events for children. Food trucks will also be on site.

For more information on the garage sale, visit the neighbourhood association’s website.

Crawford Estates is also hosting a community garage sale May 14 from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m.

In Kamloops, Dallas/Barnhartvale and Campbell Creek nieghbourhoods are also holding a garage sale April 30 at 9 a.m.

READ MORE: Garage sales are popping back up in Kamloops, Okanagan

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