Sunflower Stables was the second barn sale to open in this area four years ago (the first being Bird & Barn, founded one year earlier.) Although popular in other areas of the South, barn sales, so named because they are held in barns, were still an unknown here. The debut of barn sales coincided with the popularity at that time of barn weddings, and a lot of the items sold in the sales were along that rustic, homespun line of decor.
"We chose a barn sale because we had been to them as consumers and liked the combination of crafts, antiques, jewelry, boutique items, etc., that were sold in that particular type of venue. We didn't just want a craft show," says Deborah Lofton, a founder of Sunflower Stables.
"The first one I ever went to was the Strawberry Patch barn sale in Hartsville, Tennessee. We decided if we would drive three hours there and three hours back to attend one, surely people would drive 30 minutes or so to come to one that we could host," she explains.
And they did. Sunflower Stables has hosted more than 1,000 visitors over its two-day sale - and that was without the benefit of roadside visibility. Its location in a Cleveland barn couldn't be seen from the road.
To correct that problem, the organizers of Sunflower Stables are moving this weekend's fourth sale to the new Collegedale Commons, located just behind Imagination Station, the Collegedale City Hall and library branch.
"The Commons is a smaller space, but has given us more exposure to the community," says Lofton. "It's a more populated area, there's a lot of excitement at that particular place right now with the Commons having just opened, Cambridge Square being nearby and its Friday night markets. That whole area is bustling right now."
More than 40 food and craft vendors will fill The Commons pavilion.
Lofton says in addition to moving the barn sale earlier in the fall, Friday's show hours have been lengthened to 7 p.m. to allow people to stop by after work. Also new this year: four food trucks on-site, as well as expected festival concessions such as kettle corn and hot dogs.
"Having food trucks is a big deal to us because we've wanted to do that and couldn't until this year," Lofton says.
Barn sales are different from craft sales in that items sold are less the kitschy handmade crafts and lean more toward gift ideas. For example: decorative handmade signs by Nerdy Birds and whipped soap from Rustic Rooster.
Lofton estimates half of the crafts vendors are new to this market. Among the newcomers will be Jean Overmyer's paintings, handmade greeting cards from 3weebirds, jewelry from Barn Door Boutique, Matilda Jane children's clothing and scrapbooking products from Creations by Sweet.
"We are very excited about our new venue and new date this year," Lofton says. "We have struggled with the cold and rain for the last couple of years and hopefully we can change that this year."
Bats, Beer and Bluegrass
To the bat cave! Ruby Falls and the Southeastern Cave Conservancy are presenting a conservation-themed event on Saturday that combines three local favorites - craft beers, barbecue and bluegrass by Slim Pickins and Caney Creek Company. The party will be capped with a viewing of endangered gray bats flying out of Fricks Cave. The bat-viewing is a fundraiser for the Stewardship Endowment Fund, which helps preserve 170 caves on 31 preserves in six states.
Best Road Trip
The Rotary Club in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee, has held a crafts show in Rotary Park for four decades. It's set up under a red-striped tent in the big green space that's easy to find right behind Pigeon Forge's landmark, the Old Mill, near the attractions on Old Mill Square.
The Pigeon Forge Rotary Club Craft Fair has 75 vendors exhibiting - but they don't all stay the whole time. They can rotate in and out, which results in constantly changing merchandise.
This crafts show opens Sept. 26, but continues for a month. So leaf lookers who wait a couple of weeks can combine a quick weekend getaway to view foliage with shopping a crafts show in a setting surrounded by the beautiful Smoky Mountains.
FESTIVALS THIS WEEK
SEPT. 20-30
» North Georgia State Fair: Jim Miller Park, 2245 Callaway Road, Marietta, Ga., gates open 4 p.m. weekdays, 10 a.m. Saturdays, 12:30 p.m. Sundays; $7 ages 11 and older, unlimited-ride passes $15-$30; daily admission specials, free nightly concerts with paid admission. www.northgeorgiastatefair.com
SEPT. 21-23
» Bats, Beer & Bluegrass: Fricks Cave Preserve, Fricks Gap Road, Chickamauga, Ga., 4-9 p.m., $50, barbecue dinner, music by Slim Pickins and Caney Creek Company before watching flight of gray bats. https://batsbeerandbluegrass.brownpapertickets.com
» Boro Art and Craft Festival: Courthouse square, Murfreesboro, Tenn., 8 a.m.-3 p.m. CDT Sunday, all handmade work. boroartandcraft@gmail.com
» Chatt-R-Bug Open House: 5231 Wilbanks Drive, Hixson, 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Saturday, free; music, food trucks, crafts and boutique items. 615-319-5342
» Fall Heritage Festival: Railroad Park and downtown Cowan, Tenn., 5-9 p.m. Friday, 10 a.m.-9 p.m. Saturday, 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Sunday (all times Central), free; arts and crafts, cruise-in and fireworks show Friday; living-history presentations, cornhole tournament and fireworks Saturday. www.fallheritagefestival.info
» GoFest: Chattanooga Zoo, 301 N. Holtzclaw Ave., 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Saturday, free, music, food and activities for children of all abilities. www.chattanooga.gov/gofest
» Homesteads Apple Festival: Cumberland Homesteads Tower and Museum, junction of U.S. 127 and Tennessee 68, four miles south of Crossville, Tenn., 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Saturday, 11 a.m.-4 p.m. Sunday (all times Central), $5 ages 11 and older; 100 crafts booths, music, antique tractors. www.cumberlandhomesteads.org
» Mistletoe Merchants: Wilson County Expo Center, 945 E. Baddour Parkway, Lebanon, Tenn., 9 a.m.-9 p.m. Friday, 9 a.m.-6 p.m. Saturday, 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Sunday (all times Central), $10 one-day ticket, $18 three-day pass, children 12 and under free; 150 merchants at holiday market. www.themarketshows.com
» Mule Day: Winfield, Ala., 6 p.m. CDT Friday street dance and midnight 5K, events begin at 7 a.m. CDT Saturday with 10 a.m. tractor pull, 11 a.m. parade of mules through downtown, free. 205-487-3002
» Ride the Rails Festival: L&N Depot, 150 Railroad Ave., Mineral Bluff, Ga., 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, $11 cash ages 13 and up, $12 debit/credit card ages 13 and up, $6 ages 2-12; 5-mile round-trip train ride, model-train railroad, hand-car rides sponsored by Tri-State Model Railroaders. 706-455-8903
» River Clay Fine Arts Festival: Decatur City Hall, 402 Lee St., Decatur, Ala., 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Saturday, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Sunday (all times Central), $5 ages 13 and older, 75 artists from 12 states in juried show. www.riverclay.org
» Sandy Springs Festival: Heritage Green, 6075 Sandy Springs Circle, Sandy Springs, Ga., 9 a.m.-6 p.m. Saturday, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Sunday, free admission; 600 arts, crafts and food vendors, chalk walk art competition, children's programs. https://heritagesandysprings.org
» Sunflower Stables Barn Sale: The Commons, 4950 Swinyar Drive, Collegedale, 10 a.m.-7 p.m. Friday, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Saturday, $5 ages 13 and older; handmade, vintage and antique items, jewelry, art and food vendors. www.sunflowerstablesbarnsale.com
» Valley Fest: Chattanooga Valley Church of the Nazarene, 2853 Chattanooga Valley Road, Flintstone, Ga., walking track beside the church, 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Saturday, free; Chattanooga Valley Lions Club fundraiser with crafts, inflatables and concessions. 706-841-2595
SEPT. 24-29
» DeKalb County VFW Agricultural Fair: VFW Hall, 151 18th St. NW, Fort Payne, Ala., gates open 5 p.m. Monday-Friday, 10 a.m. Saturday (all times Central), $3 ages 6 and older. www.dekalbcountyvfwfair.com
SEPT. 26-Oct. 24
» Rotary Club Craft Fair: Patriot Park, 186 Old Mill Ave., Pigeon Forge, Tenn., 10 a.m.-6 p.m. daily, admission by donation to benefit Pigeon Forge Rotary Club's philanthropic projects; 75 craftsmen. www.mypigeonforge.com
Contact Susan Pierce at spierce@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6284.