What is the 127 “World’s Longest” Yard Sale?
The 127 Yard Sale began in 1987 by Mike Walker, the former Fentress County Executive in Jamestown, TN. The idea behind this event was that it would encourage travelers to bypass interstate highways and favor the scenic route. This is now an annual event that takes place the first Thursday through Sunday in August each year. The route spans across 6 states (Michigan, Ohio, Kentucky, Tennessee, Georgia, and Alabama) and is nearly 700 miles long. This makes it the World’s Longest Yard Sale!
The route goes from Addison, MI to Gadsden, Al. In Chattanooga, TN, Highway 127 ends, and the route continues onto Lookout Mountain Parkway (named by Reader’s Digest as one of America’s most scenic drives) through Georgia and Alabama.
When and where are the yard sales?
The World's Longest Yard Sale takes place the first week of August, annually. There is no opening or closing time for individual sales along the route—each vendor chooses their “open for business” time. However, typically vendors are open by 8 a.m. and close around dark.
The yard sales are everywhere along the 127 Yard Sale route, which takes place (for the most part) along Highway 127! They are in front of people’s homes, fields, pastures, on the side streets along the route, empty lots, businesses, community parks, and town centers! Some areas are what the 127 Yard Sale calls Major Vendor Stops. These places are where large groups of vendors come together.
Local Stops
Chattanooga has quite a few stops along the route, with over 200 vendors to shop! Below is a list of some places to stop on your journey!
- Lone Oak Community Center (Signal Mountain, TN)
- 1278 US-127, Signal Mountain, TN 37377
- Vendors:75+
- Picker’s Field (Signal Mountain, TN)
- 614 U.S. 127, Signal Mountain, TN
- Vendors: 40+
- Hot Dog Landing (Signal Mountain, TN)
- 4702 Taft Hwy,Signal Mountain, TN 37377
- Vendors 25+
- Vinterest Southside (Chattanooga, TN)
- 2121 Chestnut St, Chattanooga, TN 37408
- Vendors: 85+
As we mentioned above, Highway 127 ends in Chattanooga, TN, but the route continues through Georgia and Alabama on Lookout Mountain Parkway. It can be a little confusing to navigate, and your GPS most likely will not help. Lucky for you, directions along this part of the route can be found on 127yardsale.com. Print them out and keep them handy to help you navigate successfully!
Extra advice to successfully participate in the World’s Longest Yard Sale:
Bring cash! Just like traditional yard sales, you can expect a lot of cash sales; however, more and more vendors are accepting credit cards. Still, it’s important to come with plenty of cash and easier to bargain with vendors if they see you have only a certain amount of cash.
Bring packing materials! Don’t be the one who must stop shopping because you ran out of storage space. Along the route you will find shipping centers and of course USPS, whose flat rate boxes are free and allow anything that fits in the box to ship no matter how much it weighs! Even if you don’t need to ship items, you may still want to protect your purchases!
Make a plan! It is impossible to cover the entire route in 4 days (the duration of the event) so plan based on your goals and allotted travel time.
Reservations are a must! There is plenty of accommodations located along the route, from hotels and motels, cabins and campgrounds and bed and breakfast inns. Making reservations is a wise decision! If you wait until late in the day to find a room, it may be difficult! Check out our blogs; Totally Unique Places to Stay, Hotels Near Lookout Mountain, and Cabins in Chattanooga for some of our favorite suggestions!
Have fun! Yard Sales are packed with such fun and unique items to shop from. Bring your friends and family and stock up on some great finds, challenge vendors through bargaining, and travel across the states!
