The Purcellville Tag Sale is a beloved tradition that takes place every October in the small town of Purcellville, Virginia. The autumn event has brought crowds of five to eight thousand bargain hunters to Purcellville in years past. The 21st annual Purcellville Tag Sale falls on Saturday, October 12, 2024, from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m., rain or shine. The sale will feature a mix of over 100 vendor stands, established businesses, and community member yard sales where a variety of secondhand, handmade, and vintage items will be up for grabs.
Silas Redd has been the host of the Purcellville Tag Sale for the past four years. Redd is the founder and owner of Nostalgia in Purcellville, a well-loved vintage clothing, home decor, and furniture boutique on Main Street. He explained, “In 2020, when the pandemic happened, the previous planner, Mike with Re-Love-It, decided to end it. Somebody needed to pick up the torch, and they entrusted me. I have been planning it ever since.”
Redd gained inspiration for the Tag Sale from other small towns’ “sidewalk sales,” events where local stores display their products outside their doors. “When I took it over, the plan, the original idea, and the goal was to highlight Purcellville more. Because it’s in October, people who come to shop at the Tag Sale will remember us when they come back for the winter season, the holidays, or whatever your jam is. This is like a small introduction to Purcellville,” Redd stated.
The Tag Sale has grown thanks to the many local businesses who chose to become sponsors, in addition to the grants received from Visit Loudoun that allowed Redd to expand the marketing of the sale. What started as a sale to connect the members of a small town has grown into one of the largest community and local events each year. He elaborated, “We get more eyes on the event, and the demand is there. For example, the first day, when the spaces went on sale, we sold out of 70% of them in one day to vendors. So it’s grown. It’s grown quickly and big.”
The Tag Sale has a lasting impact on the Purcellville community and everyone who attends. Liz Jarvis, who has been a vendor for the Purcellville Tag Sale for the past three years, commented on the importance of the sale. She explained, “The Tag Sale has always brought big crowds to Purcellville, and as a community member, I think that is great. Silas is highly organized, markets the Tag Sale effectively, and attracts people from all over looking for all kinds of things!” Jarvis’ stand will include items that vary from vintage decor to clothes and jewelry. She mentioned, “I was downsizing my parent’s house with lots of vintage decor, clothes, and jewelry. My family used to own a chain of fashion stores in the Midwest called The Style Shop, so I just took the name.”
Not only does the Tag Sale impact the lives of community residents, but it also works to promote local business owners. Similar to how it has been in past years, small and corporate businesses are participating in the Tag Sale this year. Redd said, “I had people who contacted me saying that if it wasn’t for that Tag Sale, because of the pandemic, they were about to have to close up, but it generated their businesses so much. That’s a big benefit to the community…I know there was a year when Chick-fil-A’s corporate office called the former mayor to say it was their number one sales day. It’s bananas!”
Whether you love secondhand and vintage items or handmade goods, the official Purcellville Tag Sale website describes the event as, “For the picker, hoarder, collector, and bargain hunter in us all.” Redd encourages anyone who likes a deal to visit the Purcellville Tag Sale this Saturday, October 12.
