Flea Markets, 100-Mile Garage Sale Delayed By COVID-19

As the ongoing pandemic shutters businesses and puts people out of work, garage sale and flea market organizers are trying to avoid becoming the latest victim of COVID-19 cancellations, delaying open dates and taking precautions to make their events safer.

Bob Zurko, who’s the organizer of upcoming flea markets in Shawano and Antigo, said attendees will be given pocket hand sanitizer bottles, and will be expected to wash their hands often and maintain social distancing. He said anyone who’s not feeling well needs to stay home.

Zurko’s business, Zurko Promotions, originally planned for the Shawano flea market to start on April 12. It has since been moved to June 21.

“The phone has been ringing off the hook,” Zurko said. “We’re excited. We’re looking forward to the best opening we can have.”

The flea market in Antigo has been rescheduled to open Friday, July 3 at 7 a.m. at the Langlade County Fairgrounds, and again on Saturday and Sunday, Sept. 5-6.

Wearing masks isn’t required for the Antigo or Shawano markets, but Zurko said people are encouraged to wear them.

“Just use common sense,” he said.

Larry Nielsen is president of Mississippi Valley Partners which sponsors the annual Hundred Mile Garage Sale, a weekend-long event featuring sales at residences along a stretch of the Mississippi River. The event was initially planned for the first weekend in May and was delayed because of COVID-19.

In early April, Nielsen asked sellers in the Hundred Mile Garage Sale community if they would rather postpone or cancel the event. A majority of respondents from the towns, villages and members of Mississippi Valley Partners overwhelmingly asked to postpone the garage sale. It has been rescheduled for Sept. 10-13.

Just 5 percent of respondents wanted to cancel the event, which started 25 years ago as a way to bring tourists to the 24 villages and towns surrounding Lake Pepin.

“It’s such an important thing and it brings so many people to the area and it helps tourism so much,” Nielsen said of the reasons for wanting to keep it around. “Some wanted July or August, but we weren’t really too convinced that we’d be past this COVID deal.”

He said it’s an important revenue stream for many people who often hold onto unwanted items to sell at this event instead of donating them.

“Even this year, there was a lot of people that are saying they’ve been saving stuff up — they save stuff up all year to have the garage sale,” Nielsen said.

Nielsen said he expects some habitual participants in the Hundred Mile Garage Sale will opt out this year out of fear of bringing potential sick people near themselves and their families.

“I can certainly empathize with that sort of position and why they would feel that way,” he said. “But I suppose…there’ll be less people coming out unless we really have a good, mostly clear situation by that time.”

The markets and sales are in development as many counties continue to impose limits on how many people attend gatherings outdoors and on private property, in an effort to slow the virus’ spread.