Vendors at the Bridgeport Community Market/Yard Sale set up downtown to sell their wares. Photo courtesy of Bobby Seabolt

Every first Saturday, from April through September, downtown Bridgeport rolls out the welcome mat to host the Community Market/Yard Sale. Everyone is invited to the free monthly event, which kicks off April 5, whether to sell their wares or to shop for treasures.

Vendors can set up as early and stay as long as they like, and there is no cost or registration involved. Spaces are plentiful, and available on a first-come, first-served basis. And there is no limit to the type of items offered for sale — from produce to handmade crafts, tasty treats, and more.

“They can bring anything to sell,” says Bridgeport Councilman Bobby Seabolt, who led the effort to bring the yard sale, now in its third year, back to town. “Several years ago, when I first got on the council, I did this and we had the whole town full, from 1 end to the other. I’m trying to bring it back now and give the people something to do downtown.”

In the spirit of the old-time monthly flea markets known as First Monday, vendors can bring anything they like to sell. “If they want to bring stuff from home, they can bring that. If they want to bring arts and crafts, they can bring arts and crafts,” Seabolt says. “If they want to bring animals and sell them, great. And if local farmers want to bring stuff, that’s good, too.”

After a busy opening weekend last year — with popular products like honey from a Marion County, Tennessee, beekeeper selling out — rain put on damper on many of the yard sales. “This year, I’m just hoping we get this going and that any rain falls on a different day,” Seabolt says.

Regardless of the weather, the public is encouraged to go downtown to shop, both at the yard sale and at local merchants. “We want to bring people into town,” Seabolt says, “and the yard sale is a great way to do that.”