GREENFIELD — Where can you find crocheted cows, vintage vinyl records and jewelry made from shedded snakeskin all under one roof?
At the annual KidsPlay Arts & Rummage Sale, of course.
The public is invited to visit the Hancock County Fairgrounds on Saturday, Feb. 25, when 53 vendors will be selling a wide variety of goods — from toys and tools to crafts and clothing — from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.
All proceeds benefit KidsPlay, the children’s theater troupe that has been performing at the H.J. Ricks Center for the Arts in Greenfield for over a quarter century.
This is the first time vendor space has completely sold out at the annual sale, said KidsPlay founder and director Chris Schaefer.
“This is the only fundraiser we do, so we need it to keep ourselves going,” said Schaefer, who pulls in roughly $2,000 each year through admission and vendor fees.
Admission costs just $1 for anyone 13 and older while vendors pay $45 per spot. Admission for guests 12 and under is free.
“One year, we had more than 1,000 come through. Last year, we had about 700,” said Schaefer, who hopes the community will set aside an hour or two to enjoy some shopping, snacks and entertainment.
This year’s lineup includes local singing acts as well as the Hearts Ablaze cloggers and saxophonist Jerry Bell.
Kids Play actors and their families will serve up snacks like pulled pork and meatball sandwiches.
“It’s always a good time,” said Schaefer, who loves seeing the community come together under one roof.
“The vendors are a cross between people who sell things they make and others who sell a variety of stuff like a good, old-fashion rummage sale. It’s a mashup of an arts and craft fair and a rummage sale and flea market all wrapped up in one big package,” she said.
Schaefer said the event is so popular that many have asked her to do it twice a year, but she prefers to stick with one event each February.
“No one’s really having yard sales or rummage sales that time of year, and people like that kind of thing. You never know what you’re going to find,” said Schaefer, who is selling an assortment of items this year, including a shop-vac and a Cricut printer.
She occasionally sells Kids Play costumes and props that are no longer needed while using the proceeds to buy new items for future productions.
“Hosting the rummage sale helps us pay for what we need to keep the program going, like costumes and props and construction materials we need to build sets,” she said.
To learn more about this year’s vendors, visit the “Arts & Rummage” page on Facebook.
