This year’s Rummage Sale Rescue offers a chance for anyone who is handson with fixing, crafting or upcycling to turn the old into something fresh and functional for resale by silent auction.
For those who have flipped items in the past, the rules are a bit different this year, with a lower entry fee, a silent rather than live auction, plus People’s Choice winners.
Here’s how it works: Teams of family and friends shop the August 2 Wessington Springs-area rummage sales and then use their creative skills to convert thrifty finds into new treasures. Repair, dismantle, sand, merge, sew, stain, glue — do what needs doing to finish and deliver the flip at 3 p.m. to the Ribfest, along with a $10 entry fee and completed registration form.
Flips will be featured in a silent auction organized by Springs Area Council of the Arts (SACOTA). Teams will receive 50% of the final sale, with the remainder split between the Springsarea chamber and SACOTA. New this year are the People’s Choice awards, with Ribfest attendees voting on the best flips. Voting ends at 6 p.m., with three winning teams garnering $25, $20 or $15 in Springs Bucks to spend at local businesses. The auction itself closes at 7 p.m.
“Rescue projects are a fun way to spend the day with people around town, and that’s the whole point — to create and do art together,” says Mara Meier, member of the SACOTA board.
Call or text Beth Magistro at (607) 742-9390 starting July 26 for rules and registration. Copies will also be available from 7:30 to 10 a.m. on August 2 at the field house in City Park.