MANY A BLOCK OR STREET... or cul de sac or neighborhood or business district is in the weekend-fun business of throwing a yard sale nowadays. Make that a mega yard sale, one that incorporates a dozen or more sellers who come together not thematically, in terms of what they have to sell, but rather geographically. The sellers all live in houses along one lane or their homes are clustered around a single school. On rare and amazing occasions, however, the yard sale goes larger, much larger, encompassing not simply a few blocks but a whole village or town. When that happen both citizens take part, and local businesses, too, offering an array of the sorts of things for sale, as well, of course, as the bargains to be found. Morro Bay is famously one of those towns, and the Central Coast burg's springtime sale, one that has "city-wide" in the name, draws both lookie-loos and serious deal hunters from around the region (and beyond). Knowing that the ocean-close town has a propensity for the vintage and the offbeat helps the sale's mojo, too, as people go in search of funky lampshades and '60s-era clothing and the sorts of old radios/gloves/hats you don't see all that much nowadays. The dates for the 2016 extravaganza are just ahead, and they fall over...
THE FIRST WEEKEND IN APRIL: Yep, April Fool's Day is day number one, which is actually a preview day. The real heart of the Morro Bay shop-a-tude revs up on Saturday, April 2 and Sunday, April 3 when the 13th City-Wide Yard Sale goes into full and fabulous effect. Look for sellers to be out starting at around 8 o'clock each day, though, sometimes, but not always, bargains may be had near the close of the day (that completely depends on the seller, and what's left, as any longtime yard sale enthusiast knows). While you're there, best commune with the big rock, Morro Rock, which is actually a volcanic plug, and just about one of the coolest and most distinctive natural landmarks in the Golden State, or anywhere else, for that matter. But will you find a paperweight shaped like Morro Rock, or a mug with a photo of the famous hunk of earth? That's up to you, and luck, dear bargain buff.
