Get Ready! The World’s Longest Yard Sale Returns Aug. 7–10

Mark your calendars, clear out your attics, and keep some cash in your pocket just in case — the World’s Longest Yard Sale rolls in just a week from now. The sale stretches over 690 miles along U.S. Highway 127 from Addison, Michigan, to Gadsden. For treasure hunters, collectors, and bargain lovers, this annual event offers unparalleled shopping, scenic drives, and small-town hospitality. Our corner of Alabama sees a big bump in population for these four summer days.

Summertime, and the shopping is easy in Mentone!

For those venturing outside our area, check out the comprehensive guide to the route, planning tips, and vendor resources on the sale’s official website: 127yardsale.com.

Mentone draws scores of vendors and pickers during the sale, swelling restaurants and keeping the gas pumps busy. There’s a fun element of surprise, as the location and number of individual vendors varies year to year.

Barnyard Antiques on Desoto Parkway is offering vendor spots in front of the store this year. And just across the road there is usually a large cluster of tents set up in the grass.

A regular standout stop along the route is St. Joseph’s Episcopal Church. Known for its community spirit and incredible variety, the church’s sale is a beloved local tradition — both for its bounty and the causes it benefits.

Organized by the Episcopal Church Women (ECW), the sale features a wide selection in both outdoor and indoor setups. Church sale coordinator Mary MacMichael shares, “There is something for everyone at this yard sale. The selection ranges from ultra-modern to vintage antique, beautiful works of art to seasonal crazy items for Christmas and Halloween, children’s toys, lamps — outdoor and indoor treasures alike.”

Volunteers add a touch of fun to the experience with a bit of good-natured competition. “For a few years now, we’ve had a ‘coopetition’ between the folks working the outside tents and those staffing the rooms inside the church,” Mary adds. It’s all for a great cause, as proceeds support multiple church ministries, including a children’s backpack program, church improvements, food pantry Christmas items, and other outreach programs.

Don’t miss Mentone’s other must-stops. In addition to St. Joseph’s, shoppers should explore the First Fidelity Bank kiosk parking lot across from the Mentone Market, where vendors from across the region — and sometimes across the country — set up shop. From one-of-a-kind finds to surprising big-ticket sales (yes, a Mazda Miata once sold there), this spot offers unexpected gems.

Be sure to visit Moon Lake Trading Co., where multiple vendors set up tents outside the store for the sale. There you can browse antiques and eclectic “uniques.”

Alabama Highway 117 is always dotted with clusters of vendors along the edges of folks’ property and in parking lots along the road. But plenty of great shopping awaits off the beaten path, too. Visitors hop off the main route to shop Dave’s Antiques in Hammondville and Triple G Tradin’ Post on County Road 649. And signs point to groups of residents who set up in various spots down county roads — definitely worth the effort to check these out. This year, a new shop in town will enjoy its first yard sale weekend. The Possum Emporium on County Road 642 plans to host as many tent vendors as possible in the adjoining field over the weekend.

The thrill of the find and fun conversations with vendors make a jaunt along the route different each year. Friendships are formed among repeat vendors and shoppers, and you can learn a lot by chatting about the history of the antiques.

The weekend causes a bit more traffic in town, so drive (and walk) safely, and enjoy!