AUGUST @ Artist Retreat
We left Artist Retreat on 11 August 2010, but I can still report on what's happening. Photos and other info below are from 2010, but will show you what to expect if you visit in August of any year.
August 2010 @ Artist Retreat- August 5-8 : The 24th Annual World’s Longest Yard Sale on Alabama Highway 117 through downtown Mentone. Every year on the first weekend in August, the 675-mile yard sale from Gadsden, Alabama to Hudson, Michigan runs right through Mentone!
At Artist Retreat in 2010, we initially thought we'd just sit back and watch. Our neighbors across the street had rented space to about 13 vendors and the one East of us had many more. We finally gave in and let four vendors set up in our yard, selling a variety of antiques, collectibles, crafts, baby clothes, art, and wood carvings.
Our weather during the week of August 15, 2010
Our first vendor set up early Tuesday
I tried it Wednesday, sold nothing, so just sat on the porch the rest of the time
Our view from the porch eastward - many people selling many different things
Jim the woodcarver, either negotiating with a customer or just chatting
Joyce's brother and nephew, trying their hand at yard-saling
View of us from across the highway
View of the crowd from our front porch
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It was truly a unique experience, we met many interesting folks, sold some art, and were really relieved when it was over. I've not seen any estimates, but I'd guess we probably had around 1000 people wander by in front of our house at one time or another during the six days of the event (it's advertised as Thursday - Sunday, but "early-bird" sales actually started on Tuesday). Joyce and I stayed a few days after the sale, then headed back down to Florida with plans to retun in October.
Other than the yard sale, the month of August is much like July as far as blooms and flowers, but with significantly fewer people (after the yard sale) because school is about to start. There's still much to do around Mentone, the shops are still open as usual, and the restaurants are still serving that great food. As far as events are concerned, in 2010, there was the annual Fiddler's Convention in Fort Payne, a Hillbilly Circus in Mentone, plus a whole list of events at the State Park.
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