100-Mile Yard Sale returns to Southeast Missouri this weekend

Stretching from Kennett, Missouri, to Jackson, one of the country’s longest yard sales will be back in full force once again in Southeast Missouri.

The 100-Mile Yard Sale has been an annual Memorial Day weekend tradition for the past 24 years. The yard sale officially begins Thursday and comes to a close Memorial Day.

“Its become so large that it just kinda happens itself,” Melissa Combs, executive director of the Kennett Chamber of Commerce, said.

The event brings in people from all over the country — and sometimes the world — to the 100-mile stretch of Highway 25 between Kennett and Jackson. Combs said she had received calls from Texas to Illinois from vendors asking about spots to set up shop. She added the chamber has received numerous calls from potential participants expressing their excitement about the upcoming event.

“It brings in a lot of tourism to Southeast Missouri, so it’s really important that we help rally around it and support,” Combs said.

There is no official sign-up process, Combs said, vendors are encouraged to find a nice place to set up and start selling.

‘Be alert’

The event brings more traffic and congestion to the area than at any other point in the year, Craig Compas, Missouri Department of Transportation (MoDOT) traffic engineer, said in a news release.

MoDOT wants people to be extra cautious and aware when driving along Highway 25 this weekend. The traffic will be even more congested than usual between Jackson and Route AB in Cape Girardeau County because of interchange construction.

“It’s a fun weekend that people look forward to each year,” Compas said in the release. “But we want people to remember that there’s more traffic and more congestion along Route 25 this weekend than any other, and drivers need to keep that in mind.”

MoDOT is placing signs along the roadways to remind oncoming drivers of the traffic and to be cautious along the route.

“We really want drivers to be alert, to be aware of their surroundings, to be aware of sudden stops and to look for pedestrian traffic,” Compas said in the release.

“While we want everyone to enjoy themselves, we ask that people also be as safe as possible,” he said.

Reporter Nathan Gladden contributed to this story.