Let’s face it. Most of us love a good garage sale. Unfortunately, most of them are mediocre at best, and high quality stuff is often tough to find.
On top of that, you have to drive around all over town looking for the next place, only to find that some early bird beat you to the item that was listed on the ad.
No thanks.
What if you could go to a city-wide garage sale in Austin where there were a ton of vendors all in one indoor space? A sale where every vendor is sure to bring their best because they have to pay to rent the space out to sell their wares?
Enter the Austin City-wide Garage Sale at the Palmer Events Center.
When is the City-Wide Garage Sale?
This is actually a recurring event and we’re pretty thankful for that because it’s a lot of fun. Seriously, you’re going to enjoy killing a few hours at this event and I predict that you’ll go home with a treasure or two.
City-Wide Garage Sale always takes place on a weekend, and the hours are always 10 AM-5 PM on Saturday and 11 AM-5 PM on Sunday.
For those 12 and over, there is a $5 entry fee. But you can sign up for a $1 email coupon here. 12 and under are always free.
What Can I Expect at the Austin City-Wide Garage Sale?
If you love knickknacks, antiques, collectibles and artisan-level work, then you’ll love this event.
Expect to walk around for a few hours, so wear comfortable shoes. Bring cash and some rope to tie down larger items like furniture, if that’s what you’re after.
If you’re looking for nice jewelry, pocket watches or silver, you’ll be very happy with the selection.
Ultimately, expect to walk away with something unique, for a great price. The last time we went, I bought three nice necklaces, a much needed pie server, and three vintage Hardy Boys books for around $30 total.
They’ll have a little bit of everything there. On our last visit, I remember seeing vintage clothing, tables of fabrics piled high, china sets, music memorabilia, action figures and toys, vintage books, house decor, furniture, housewares, comics and so much more. We even saw 8-track cassettes and vinyls.
What If I Want to Be a Vendor?
That’s cool too. Anyone who rents a space can sell their stuff. The only rule is that new merchandise is not allowed. All items sold must be used or vintage in nature.
And of course you need to pay for your space. A 10×10 space goes for $160 and then there are additional charges if you want things like tables, electricity and the like. If you are interested, click on this.
Final Thoughts on Austin City-Wide Garage Sale
If you like garage sales, you’ll love this event.
Because the vendors are always changing, it’s a new experience every time.
It’s a great way to spend a weekend afternoon and who knows what you may find. It’s like a treasure hunt and the vendors there are extremely friendly.
Oh, and here’s a protip: Go on Sunday mid-afternoon around 1 PM. The pickings may be a bit more slim, but often times vendors are willing to give you a better deal so they don’t have to cart their wares home.
@EricHighland asks:
Have you ever been to the City-Wide Garage Sale at the Palmer Events Center? What has been your experience?
Photos courtesy of City Wide Garage Sale on Facebook.
Leave a Reply