Stephens City Lions Club to host one mile community yard crawl on Saturday, May 21

The Stephens City Lions Club, in conjunction with the town of Stephens City, is hosting and coordinating a town-wide yard crawl on May 21, 2022. The plan is to gradually develop a robust relationship with town officials, businesses and residents to brand our yard-crawl as a local spring time hometown event. The Crawl officially opens at 7 a.m. on Saturday.

Lions Club seeks to enhance bonds among civic organizations and Town Hall where connections among elected officials, staff, volunteers and highly motivated residents are established. Everyone can bring their collective knowledge and skill-mix to assist in creating hometown events that continue to make Stephens City a very healthy community.

Stephens City yard sale sign promoting this first-time event.

Yard Sale vendors will be located both at the Newtown Commons and Old Stephens City School on Main Street. The town yard crawl will measure one mile through the Historic District. Residents living on Main Street are also invited to clear their attics, basements, garages, carports and out buildings and set up on front porches to sell their own wares. “Between vendors and homeowners, several hundred people may be selling product on Saturday within the Stephens City town limits,” Dudley Rinker said.

Stephen City’s stunning spring scenery, lush with hints of natural greens and spectacular mountain views will provide each visitor with an unforgettable experience to take back home and tell family and friends. Spring is extremely pleasant and considered by locals to be the best time of the year for outdoor shopping before the weather turns hot and humid.

Dudley Rinker, Chair of the Stephens City Lions Club Yard Crawl Committee says, “business in Stephens City has intensified with calls for more vendor spaces for this first-time event.” There are approximately 90 vendor spaces allotted at Newtown Commons on the north end of Main Street. The Commons are at 50% capacity, but rentals are filling quickly and there is a need to allocate spaces at the Old School lot on the south of town,” Rinker said.

Currently Lions Club has spaces rented at the Old School lot but more are available, if needed. The vendor spaces are 16′ X 20′ and cost $25 per spot. “Vendors can join spaces if they require additional room,” Rinker said. “If you register for spaces at the Spring Event and the Rt. 11 Yard Crawl on August 13^th, the cost is only $20 per space payable at registration,” Rinker added.

Vendor set-up will begin at noon on Friday May 20th. Vendor vehicles must be removed from the sales area no later than 6:30 AM on Saturday. Vendors can park in their paid space if they desire, but vehicles will have to remain parked until the end of the crawl when it is safe to move them.

Stephens City Lions celebrated their 75th Anniversary in October 2021 at the West Oaks Farm Market Reception Hall.

The event will be held rain or shine. Expect traffic congestion along Route 11 (Main Street) most of the day. Watch for pedestrians crossing Route 11. Navigate streets carefully, as pedestrians get distracted by displays and may appear to meander across the street without watching for oncoming traffic. Stephens City police officers will be on hand to manage traffic control around the Commons and provide oversight.

Yard Crawlers can prepare for the event by bringing small bills and change to make  shopping more convenient, but also may get you a discount by enabling a smoother transaction for the vendor. Bring bottled water to stay hydrated. Stow away nylon rope, lashing straps or bungee cords to tie down any oversized purchases.

For additional information or questions, call 540-247-7662 or email scyardcrawl@gmail.com.

About the Lions Club

Lions Club was founded in Chicago in 1917. The LIONS acronym stands for Liberty, Intelligence, Our Nations’ Safety. Stephens City Lions, established in 1946, celebrated their 75th Anniversary in October 2021. The Stephens City Lions Club is a group of men and women dedicated to the Lions Club International’s motto, “We Serve.” Members of the Stephens City Lions Club take a very active interest in the civic, cultural, and social welfare of their community.

Stephens City Lions focus on programs and services for the blind and visually impaired; global health programs to control and prevent diabetes and diabetic retinopathy, the leading cause of vision loss in adults; by arranging screenings for the deaf and hearing aid recycling programs for children and adults; and by supporting other charitable organizations in the community. The Club is also a proud sponsor of the Sherando High School LEO Club. LEO clubs encourage students to develop leadership qualities by participating in social service activities.