Clean out your garage or hunt for vintage goods at Modesto’s inaugural citywide garage sale
If you are looking for a nice set golf clubs, a vintage dress, board games, maybe used garden tools, then check out the Modesto GarageFest on April 20.
Modesto’s first citywide garage sale is expected to have at least 100 individual garage sales, Visit Modesto CEO Todd Aaronson said. “A low goal is at least 100 garages,” he said. “In a perfect world, I’d like to see 250.”
Aaronson said as of Tuesday nearly 50 people have signed up, with 40 doing so since Friday, when Visit Modesto started promoting the event through social media and otherwise. There is no cost to sign up and hold a garage sale. Registration ends April 12.
The idea came from Councilman Chris Ricci. “I got it from doing research,” he said. “I kept finding these places doing citywide garage sales.”
Ricci said GarageFest will provide residents with the chance to socialize and enjoy themselves and will be a great way to find new homes for unwanted household goods.
He sees GarageFest as similar to PorchFest, which its website describes as “porch parties” hosted by residents in the La Loma, college and downtown neighborhoods with local bands performing on porches, patios and driveways.
‘Experience day’ includes live music
Visit Modesto — once known as the Convention and Visitors Bureau — also sees GarageFest as a way to draw out-of-towners to the city. Visit Modesto is marketing the citywide garage sale from the Bay Area to Sacramento and as far south as Fresno.
Aaronson said GarageFest will be what he called an “experience day.” So in addition to the garage sales, Visit Modesto is working with local businesses to provide free entertainment.
For instance, Rodin Farm, The Fruit Stand, at Oakdale and Claribel roads, will have singer-songwriter Mapuana perform from 12:30 to 2:30 p.m. and musician Weston Perry from 3 to 5 p.m. Rodin Farms also will have face painting for the kids by Misti Dawn Designs from 12:30 to 2:30 p.m.
Visit Modesto is working to put together contests among the garage sales. For instance, Aaronson said, the street that signs up the most garage sales could have an ice cream or food truck come by for a while to draw more visitors to the street. And all garage sales will get a yard sign and bags made from recycled paper with the Visit Modesto and GarageFest logos on them for shoppers.
More information about GarageFest, including other venues with free entertainment and how to register your garage sale, is available at visitmodesto.com/modesto-garage-fest. The website will have a map showing the locations of the garage sales, and shoppers can customize the map by entering the types of goods they are seeking, such as sports equipment or clothing.
Ricci said he brought his idea to city officials, who then directed him to Visit Modesto because it has had success in marketing the city.
“This fits in with the tourism angle,” Aaronson said. “ ... We are promoting it in Northern California as another reason to come to Modesto and visit for the day.”
Visit Modesto has a subscription with a Salt Lake City-based company called Zartico that tells tourism agencies how many out-of-towners come to their events. The information is based on cell phone and credit card usage.
Aaronson said Zartico does not provide the names of the cell phone and credit card users. Visit Modesto defines out-of-towners as anyone who travels at least 50 miles to come here. The credit card spending is broken into such categories as gas, retail, restaurant and fast-food, as well as lodging and hospitality.
