400-Mile Sale facts for kids
The 400-Mile Sale, also known as the Highway 68 Yard Sale, is a huge outdoor sale. It happens every year for four days, starting on the first weekend of June. This giant sale stretches along U.S. Route 68 in Kentucky. You can find sales all the way from the east side of Paducah to Maysville, covering a big part of southern and central Kentucky. It's like a treasure hunt across the state!
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History of the Big Sale
The 400-Mile Sale began in 2004. A person named Debbie Spencer started it. Her main goal was to show people all the cool antique and unique shops along the route. Later, in 2019, Judy Spencer took over leading the event. Then, in March 2022, Tara Hall became the new Director of the 400-Mile Sale.
This event has happened every single year since it started. However, in 2020, things changed a bit. Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, the sale was moved to October 2–4 that year.
Many counties along the route help make the sale happen. They are the main sponsors. In 2022, places like Kentucky Lake/Marshall County Tourism and Visit Hopkinsville helped out. In 2023, a business called Perryville Outlet Furniture became the first business to sponsor the sales in Perryville.
Find Your Treasures Online
Your Map to Fun Finds
In 2022, the website 400mile.com got a cool new update. It now has a "Map My Route" feature that everyone loves. People who are selling items can register their sales. Then, you can see exactly where each sale is on the map!
You can even sort the map to find sales by the day they are open. You can also look for sales in specific areas or even by the types of items being sold. It's like having a treasure map for all the yard sales!
Places Not Part of the Sale
Areas You Won't Find Sales
There are a couple of spots along US 68 where the sale doesn't happen. One area is about 10 miles long in Trigg County. This part is in the Land Between the Lakes National Recreation Area. It's government land, owned by the U.S. Forest Service, so they don't allow sales there.
Another place without sales is a 20-mile stretch of US 68 in Lexington and Fayette County. This area is usually very busy with lots of traffic. Especially in downtown Lexington, it can get really crowded. Because of the heavy traffic, sales are not held there.
Other Fun Things to Do Nearby
More Events During the Sale
Sometimes, other fun events happen at the same time as the 400-Mile Sale. For example, the town of Smiths Grove often has its own town-wide yard sale. This is just off the highway in eastern Warren County.
Elkton, which is the main town in Todd County, also has many yard sales during the event. Even if they are on other streets, you can find lots of deals there.
The Glasgow Highland Games also often happen on the same weekend. This event is a bit south of US 68, at Barren River Lake State Resort Park.
The Sale on TV
When the Sale Hit the Big Screen
In southern Kentucky, local TV stations often talk about the 400-Mile Sale. For example, WBKO in Bowling Green, which is an ABC and Fox station, often publicizes the event. Their TV studio is right on the yard sale route!
In June 2015, the 400-Mile Sale became famous across the country. It was shown on two different TV shows in the same week!
One show was Endless Yard Sale on Great American Country. This was a competition show where teams looked for the best old and unique items. The other show was Small Town Big Deal. This show tells stories about small towns. Both shows filmed at different yard sale spots. They visited places all along the route, from Cadiz to Bowling Green and all the way to Maysville.
See also
- 127 Corridor Sale, the world's longest yard sale along US 127
- Roller Coaster Fair, held in October along KY 63 and KY 90
- U.S. Route 68
