It was another rainy Saturday morning in Oakville this weekend, and I was worried that the Oakville Historical Society’s annual yard sale would be cancelled. Each year, the Society raises funds for its operations through the sale, and it’s always filled with reasonably-priced goodies.
Despite the rain, I drove over to the Historical Society at Navy & King, hoping that the sale was still on. It turns out that a little rain wasn’t going to stop this event - everything had just been moved inside. The Society’s small building was packed with piles of books, tables of ceramics, and boxes of artwork, among other household goods. Although according to one volunteer, the books were initially supposed to be outside, I appreciated how tightly everything was packed in - people jostled past one another, but the minor elbow bumps resulted in oh-so-Canadian “sorrys” that constantly seemed to lead to fun conversations.
It was loud in there, especially in the Treasures Room, which held jewellry and collectables. One customer, a Windsor woman who was passing through town, excited conversed with a Society volunteer as she scoped out trinkets to add to a wedding gift for her son, who was a pilot. “Looks like love is in the air!” joked the volunteer, who seemed quite proud of her pilot-related comment. Everyone was smiling, and the items were quickly disappearing from the tables.
Prior to the yard sale, the Oakville Historical Society accepted donations from those in the community who were moving or downsizing. A wide range of donations were accepted, including paintings of old Oakville, Weight Watchers diet books from the 70s, luxurious old watches, and floral lamps modeled in a Victorian style. My famous items included an old breadbox and a colourful large throw, each priced at $20. I had planned on purchasing them for housewarming gifts but, when I returned to the tables they were on, they had always been scooped up by someone else. Oh well - the money went to a good cause. Maybe next year?
