Merchants report record number of visitors, vendors for antique festival
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Vendors lined much of Main Street during the annual fall Clinch River Antique Festival in downtown Clinton last weekend. This was the scene on Saturday afternoon. - G. Chambers Williams III
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Mike Blakney takes a break on Main Street during last Saturday’s fall antique festival in downtown Clinton with his 8-week-old puppy Aggie Jo in his lap. Looking on is his wife, Dara Blakney. - G. Chambers Williams III
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Gabriella Pettit of Jefferson County browses in the Velvet Pug antique store at Market and Main streets in downtown Clinton during the annual fall antique festival last Satur- day afternoon. - G. Chambers Williams III
Visitors and street vendors turned out in record numbers last weekend for the 23rd-annual fall Clinch River Antique Festival in downtown Clinton, local merchants reported.
“There are more vendors than I’ve ever seen at one of our festivals, and we’ve been very busy all day,” Susan Gates, owner of the Velvet Pug antique store, said early Saturday afternoon.
“I believe this is the biggest festival yet,” she added. “Not only are there booths all the way down Market Street, they’re also all along Main Street.”
Several of the downtown merchants estimated the crowd to be in the thousands on both days, Friday and Saturday, with the second day being the busiest.
The weather cooperated except for a brief rain shower late Friday afternoon. Saturday, the festival was blessed with sunny skies and moderate temperatures – and no hint of rain.
Gabriella Pettit of Jefferson City, who was shopping in the Velvet Pug early Saturday afternoon, said the Clinton antique festivals are always fun for her.
“I never miss them,” she said. “I live in a house that was built in 1892, and almost all of it is furnished with antiques from Clinton.”
Sponsored by the Historic Downtown Clinton organization, the fall antique festival ran from noon until 8 p.m. on Friday, and from 9 a.m. until 4 p.m. Saturday.
More than 100 vendors were on hand, selling a variety of new and used merchandise, artisan goods, food and more, along with craft and cooking demonstrations and other activities.
Live entertainment was provided both days, as well.