Sidewalk Sale 2024
July 20, 2024. Credit: Michael Dinan
Scores of bargain-hunters and local business supporters descended on downtown New Canaan on Saturday for the Chamber of Commerce’s annual Sidewalk Sale & Village Fair.
Kids, families and grownups moved through pedestrian-only sections of Elm, Main and Forest Streets under comfortably warm, overcast skies during the popular sale, which runs 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. In addition to New Canaan’s local brick-and-mortar stores and nonprofit organizations such as New Canaan Unplugged, Fire Company No. 1, League of Women Voters (which registered 13 new voters), and the Democratic and Republican Town Committees, pop-up vendors sold a wide array of clothes, home goods, crafts and other items.
“We had a very smooth setup,” Chamber Executive Director Laura Budd told NewCanaanite.com. “All the stores and organizations got here early and the shoppers followed right after. We’re really thankful for the weather — the one thing we can’t control — because I think people will stay longer and enjoy the day in town.”
Budd specifically thanked the town Department of Public Works crew “who do such an amazing job with the setup and cleanup.”
The New Canaan Town Band, a New Canaan Music band and others entertained crowds at different corners of the event, while food providers including New Canaan’s Teriyaki East kept the crowds fed. (Teriyaki East owner Rafael Marin, who has provided food with local restaurant La Pescaderia the past three years, sold a teriyaki special with chicken, rice and salad for $12 in the Pop-Up Park area at South and Elm.)
Dr. Anna Simonis of New Canaan Pediatric Dentistry manned her tent on Elm Street along with colleagues Dr. Michaela Matos and Cheryl Sabanosh, the office manager.
“It’s really busy,” said Simonis, a former Chamber board member who used to be part of a vigilant parking enforcement team for the Sidewalk Sale. “It’s great. I’m introducing Dr. Michaela to everyone we see, she just joined the practice. We have a lot of people stopping by to say hello. The bubbles are here, we’re giving away toothbrushes. The airbrush tattoo artist is here. It’s a great day.”
The Sidewalk Sale runs through 4 p.m. Saturday.
Who doesn’t love the annual Sidewalk Sale? This year it ran like clockwork and everyone seemed to be enjoying themselves, even those too young to shop. Kudos to everyone who made it possible.