World’s Longest Yard Sale begins

(WRCB)  The annual World’s Longest Yard Sale will go on as planned, despite the coronavirus. 

The route spans 6 states (Michigan, Ohio, Kentucky, Tennessee, Georgia, Alabama) and is 690 miles long. The majority of the route follows Highway 127, and passes through the Miami Valley in Mercer, Darke, Preble and Butler counties.

The sale officially begins Friday, August 6th, but days before that date, Signal Mountain, Tennessee was already dotted with sellers and shoppers.

Lone Oak Community Center President Tommy Johnson says the early birds played it safe with social distancing.

“When couples come in they stick together but they talk at a distance to the vendors and so it’s not as much one on one as it used to be,” he said.

The community center is a hot spot, letting vendors use their property to set up shop. They’re taking precautions, setting up hand sanitizing stations, and outdoor sinks. Volunteers serving food will wear PPE, and the center is minimizing the use of its indoor space.

“Where we are standing, there will be a very large tent to keep people outdoors in open spaces with a lot of airflow,” Johnson said.

The center is in Sequatchie County, which doesn’t have a mask mandate. 

The sale will run through August 9th.