Congratulations! You’re officially part of the inaugural Great Downtown Guelph Garage Sale! We’re excited to welcome you to our vibrant Downtown this summer.
To ensure a smooth experience, please review the following details carefully. You’ll find important information on setup, expectations, and where to donate any unsold items after the event.
If you’re no longer able to participate, kindly let us know as soon as possible by emailing events@downtownguelph.com.
We can’t wait to see you there!
—
TIMINGS
Date: Saturday July 12th *rain or shine*
Set up: 8am to 10am
Event: 10am to 4pm
Teardown: 4pm to 6pm
LOCATION
Wyndham St N, Downtown Guelph (between Woolwich Street and Douglas Street).
EMERGENCIES
Upon arrival at the event, please familiarise yourselves with the nearest exit.
Our event crew can be identified by their I ❤ Downtown Guelph t-shirts and safety vests and are equipped with walkie talkies. In the event of an emergency, dial 911 and then seek the help of the event crew.
A 6m gap in the centre of Wyndham Street allows for emergency vehicle access.
The Event HQ is located at the Downtown Guelph offices, above Capistrano in St George’s Square. Missing children can be brought here.
Should the area require immediate evacuation, there will be two short sounds on an air horn. All attendees and exhibitors are required to leave the site immediately by foot at the nearest exit. No vehicles must be driven off site during an emergency evacuation.
EVENT SET UP & VENDOR EXPECTATIONS
You will enter Wyndham Street via Woolwich Street – see map below for exact details.
Your vehicle will be PERPENDICULAR PARKED at the event. Here’s what that means.
You’ll head nose first into your spot, with your trunk facing the street, making unloading a breeze. You’ll be able to spread out the width of your vehicle, plus another few feet, approximately 12ft in total. If you are bringing a tent, this should allow some space for a 10ft x 10ft tent to go over your car, plus be on the road and cover your goods .
ENTERING THE EVENT SPACE
Registered vehicles will enter the event space on Wyndham St N only when instructed to do so by an event worker.
Vehicles must always maintain a slow and safe pace.
Vendors will have access to Wyndham St from 8am on event day.
Vendors who have more items than fit in one vehicle have two options:
- Bring a second vehicle onsite during set up. The second vehicle must be unloaded and moved offsite by 9am.
- Make two trips with one vehicle. Unload your goods onto the sidewalk at your spot, exit the event space, and return with a 2nd load. Your vehicle must be back and in place by 9.30am.
Is your neighbour making a 2nd run? Please be considerate and leave them room to back into their spot before completing your set up.
ALL VEHICLES MUST BE ON SITE AND IN PLACE BY 9.30AM
ALL GOODS MUST BE EITHER DONATED OR TAKEN WITH YOU AT THE END OF THE EVENT. Please see below for a list of places that accept donations.
Vendors commit to being set up by the event start time at 10am, and until the event end time of 4pm. No cars must leave the event site until 4.30pm, no exceptions.
Tables, tents and tarps are strongly encouraged but not provided.
All vendors are required to sign a waiver on the day.
TENTS & OTHER EQUIPMENT
Sudden wind gusts can cause tents and displays to topple, damaging not only your own goods but that of your neighbours. We require all vendors to properly weight their tents.
You may be asked to leave the show if your display is unsafe, unprofessional, or blocks other vendors.
The tent or displays may not extend more than 4ft from the vehicle into the road. This is to ensure access for emergency vehicles.
Tables, plinths, benches, or other display shelving must also be properly weighted and secured to the ground.
WHAT CAN I SELL?
Just like a yard sale that takes place at your home, you can sell gently used or new items that already belong to you.
It is important to only sell items that are functional and in good condition. Read Canada.ca – Facts for Garage Sale Vendors. It includes banned items, those that must meet regulatory requirements, items that could pose a safety hazard, and items like microwaves that must meet requirements under the Radiation Emitting Devices Act. This link to Canada Safety Council – garage-sales-and-yard-sales is also helpful.
Food items are not to be sold without explicit permission from the organizers.
TAKING PAYMENT ON THE DAY
How you accept payment is up to you, and a sign that indicates the forms of payment you accept would be useful. Here are some suggestions:
1. Cash. Be sure to bring some change if this is your preferred method of payment.
2. E-transfer.
3. Credit card. Square is useful for electronic payments and allows you to take payment by credit card using just your phone.
WATER WAGON
Bring your refillable water bottle and take advantage of the City of Guelph Water Wagon.
HELP ON THE DAY
A helpful gang of volunteers wearing I ❤ Downtown Guelph t-shirts will be onsite to get you in the right spot and answer any questions you may have. They will fill up your water bottle and watch your spot if you require a washroom break.
WASHROOMS
There are public washrooms available in Old Quebec Street Shoppe and port-a-potties in St George’s Square. Registered vendors are also welcome to use the washrooms at the Downtown Guelph offices (above Capistrano in St George’s Square – volunteers can point you in the right direction).
A WORD ABOUT THE WEATHER
This is a rain or shine event and there is no rain date for the sale. If there is a high likelihood of severe weather (lightning or strong winds) in the forecast, we may recommend cancelling and you will receive an email notification no later than 7am on event day. If the weather allows the sale to go ahead safely but there is rain in the forecast, vendors are encouraged to plan on using tarps or tents.
WHAT DO I DO WITH MY UNSOLD STUFF?
Vendors have agreed on their application to take all of their unsold goods with them. A number of local organizations will accept donated items.
The Canadian Kidney Trust will have a donation truck onsite (corner of Douglas Street and Quebec Street) and will accept the following:
- All Used Clothing (Including Winter Wear)
- Shoes & Boots
- Accessories: Purses, Bags, Belts & Ties
- Luggage & Sleeping Bags
- Bedding: Blankets, Pillows & Linens
- Draperies, Pillows & Cushions
- Sporting Goods
- Toys & Books
- Tools
- Housewares
- Small Working Appliances
- Jewellery
- Yarn, Fabric & Patterns
BioPed Foot Care will be taking donations of shoes at their store at 102 Wyndham St N. Their shoe drive is in support of Soles4Souls Canada, an organization that collects gently used shoes that help women and families start micro businesses earning money to send their kids to school, put shelter over their heads, and provide food – helping give them a better life. S4S also does shoe distributions (new shoes only) to kids and adults who would otherwise be wearing, in some cases, nothing on their feet.
Royal City Mission at 50 Quebec Street will accept donations of blankets (not bed sheets or pillows), sleeping bags and mugs between 12pm and 7pm.
Habitat for Humanity/ReStore Guelph
(back service door, 9am to 5pm)
Accepts: houseware, furniture, building supplies/materials, tools.
Does not accept: electronics, clothing, mattresses.
Hope House is unable to take donations due to lack of storage space.
If you have any questions that have not been addressed here, please email events@downtownguelph.com.
