Once a year, on a Saturday in late May, the whole Glebe turns into one giant garage sale. Hundreds of households set up tables on their front lawns and porches, Bank Street businesses run sidewalk sales, and thousands of people from across the city come to browse. This year it was on May 23, from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m.
It’s run by volunteers through the Glebe Community Association, with the Glebe BIA organizing the sidewalk sale on Bank Street the same day. It has been going for decades and is one of the best-known neighbourhood events in Ottawa.
A few tips if you’re going next year:
- Go early. The best finds are gone by mid-morning.
- Bring cash and small bills, though many sellers now take e-transfers.
- Leave the car at home. Parking is nearly impossible, so bike, walk or take the bus along Bank Street.
- Bring bags, and a friend if you’re hunting for furniture.
If you live in the Glebe, it’s also the easiest way to clear out a basement, and a day when you’ll meet more of your neighbours than the rest of the year combined.
Watch the Glebe Community Association’s website in spring for next year’s date.
Sources: Glebe Community Association and the Glebe BIA.
Photo by AdoTang, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.