Treasure Hunt: Second annual Main Street Bazaar a great success
Following its second consecutive year on San Carlos Island, last weekend’s Main Street Bazaar and Yard Sale was a raving success, as stated by co-organizers and Port Carlos Cove residents Bill Arendt and Dave Schweizsthal.
About 10 Main Street communities, along with numerous neighborhood businesses, teamed up to offer the public a grand shopping extravaganza for all.
“We have to estimate at least 1,500 people showed up this year,” Bill eagerly exclaimed, more than twice as many as last year’s calculations. “The street was packed with cars and bicycles throughout the morning hours. The Oyster Bay pancake breakfast was happily overwhelmed with people they never expected so many to show up. We sold every bowl of soup at the soup sale; every pie, cake and cookie at the bake sale; everything was sold out.”
“I parked cars last year during the event, as I did this year,” said Dave Schweizsthal, retired five-term Sheriff of Rice County, Minnesota, and local Port Carlos Cove resident. “I’d have to say that I parked two to three times more cars this year.”
The entire street of Main Street was lined with shoppers on foot, bicycles, roller skates and skateboards, nabbing up great deals from all the communities and businesses on the San Carlos Island road.
Pete and Ron of the Boat Lizards entertained at Port Carlos Cove’s clubhouse while resident volunteers cooked to their heart’s content for the hungry shoppers stopping to get a bite.
Helping a local cause
Making the day an even greater success, Port Carlos Cove residents offered an even greater hand to a local high school marching band in need for the second year in a row.
“We gathered all of the remaining items from the sale still wonderful items and donated them to the Wolfpack Marching Band of South Fort Myers High School, who will hold their own yard sale in early February to raise funds for their traveling concerts and competitions,” Bill said.
Shortly after the sale, the band’s 18-foot enclosed trailer, usually housing all of the group’s equipment and instruments, was loaded with multiple couches, futons, sectionals, chairs, tables and other furniture, along with electronics, clothing, knick-knacks, linens and several other goodies that can help with some extra funds for the road.
“The school system has really changed with the music department,” Dave said. “Now, the band is responsible for covering the cost of utilizing the school buses for their trips, and hopefully this yard sale will help out with that.”
The band’s sale will be held in the middle of February at the school.
“It’s just far enough from our recent bazaar that there will be new shoppers to find new bargains and deals,” Bill said. “This is something we did last year, as well as donate a bundle to a local church. It was such a great success, we were sure to do it again.”
As far as the third annual Main Street Bazaar, it’s already marked on the calendar, set for Saturday, Jan. 21, 2012, from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m.
“We want to give a big thanks to everyone along Main Street for their participation and support, as well as the literally thousands of shoppers who made it out for a good time,” Bill and Dave stated. “We look forward to seeing everyone next year.”