Streamlined Farmerstown Frolic Days set for July 1-2

For as long as Mike Shetler could remember, the Farmerstown Frolic Days had gone on and been a pretty good event. More recently, though, Shetler thought things could be even better and benefit all of the multi-day, multi-tiered retail and garage/yard-sale extravaganza and its various vendors and visitors.

All it needed, Shetler thought, was a little organization. So, he organized.

“The Farmerstown Frolic Days is a thing that’s been going on for quite a number of years,” Shetler said. “There was never any structure really to it. They would have, in the course of two to three days, garage sales and yard sales, a lunch there, and the retailers in town would have a sale too, but it was never coordinated.”

In other words, it was an event that looked like a lot of different events all happening at or about the same time and nobody – from the vendors to the retailers to the consuming public – was ever exactly sure when or where things would be happening.

This time around, Shetler and a few others have changed that. And now, perhaps a bit streamlined but probably a lot more accessible to those who want that access, the Frolic Days will have a new and improved look.

“What happened is, this past year the community kind of got together and a decision got made to vote in a three-man board to kind of coordinate things a little more and maybe promote it a little more, and maybe have it be more of a community-centered event,” Shetler said. “The community is what it’s geared toward.”

The now pared-down but spruced-up Frolic days will take place from 3:30-8 p.m. on Monday, July 1, and 7:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Tuesday, July 2. Retailers will be open all day both days, along with the lunch stand at the Farmerstown School in the heart of Clark Township.

Garage sales also will go on during or about those times. As of the first of this week, there were 25 garage sales listed, Shetler said.

The vendor show will take place at the school as well, with retailers running their sales in-store. Vendors will set up booths and provide shoppers with a huge variety of wares, from farm implements and items, bikes, housewares, herbs and Tupperware, health products and more.

“There will pretty much be something for almost everybody,” Shetler said. “There’s a really big variety of things that will be set up there. That’s going to be a big, big variety, hitting anything for in the house, the yard, then lawn, anything you need.”

Folks wanting a simple bite to eat can get one too, with typical items like burgers and fries and chicken, and other treats such as ice cream and kettle korn.

And now, everything is coordinated together and under one roof, so to speak.

“It’s been going on for a long time,” Shetler said of the Frolic. “I’m not even quite sure how many years. Ever since I can remember. If I had to guess a number, I’d say 15-20 years at least. It kind of ebbed and flowed over the years. Normally it was somewhere coordinated, but with business growing, they got too busy and wanted to focus on their businesses. And now they can.”

Those still wanting to get in on the event as vendors or to have a garage sale listed, call 330-521-8365.