St. Peter Barn Sale returns to Kane fairgrounds

It’s back — and it’s big.

The St. Peter Barn Sale returns to the Kane County Fairgrounds to host one gigantic sale weekend from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 17 and 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 18.

Barn Sale Co-Chairman Ron Volk is excited about bringing the event back to the fairgrounds after a one-year hiatus to a different venue last year.

He said the fairgrounds provides a larger area to display merchandise and shoppers can peruse in wider aisles.

The larger venue also provides ample space to set up a food court for hungry shoppers. Breakfast will be available for purchase beginning at 7 a.m. on Saturday and at 8 a.m. on Sunday. Hungry shoppers can also purchase lunch items and homemade baked goods.

“Providing food at the Barn Sale allows shoppers to make it an all-day outing,” says Volk. “Park the car, have breakfast, shop, take a break for lunch, and shop some more. The sale is so large that it takes several hours to visit all of the various departments.”

What type of merchandise does one find at the St. Peter Barn Sale? Co-Chairwoman Pam Mucha laughs.

“An easier question to answer would be what one would not find at the Barn Sale,” Mucha said. “We have antiques, baby items, bikes, books, dishes, electronics, fabric and crafts, furniture, housewares, linens, sporting goods, tools and more. You really have to see it to believe it.”

“Items are priced to sell,” adds Volk. “Last year, a couple walked away with two sets of cross country skis for $8. You don’t find deals like that at any clearance sale I know of.”

The sale is also a popular place for college students to find furnishings for their dorm room or apartment. A student once purchased a futon for only $20.

The community benefits from the Barn Sale in many ways. The sale provides a means for people to get rid of items they no longer want, minimizing what gets taken to area landfills. All donated items are inspected and for those deemed unsellable, volunteers try to find a way to recycle them. For example, unsellable clothing is sent out to be shredded for insulation. Even though this does not generate money, it is a practice of good stewardship St. Peter Church takes seriously.

Because the sale is so large, it allows people to do one-stop shopping, rather than driving around to multiple garage sales to find what they need. It also helps those in tough financial circumstances to purchase necessities for their families at drastically reduced prices.

Local charities benefit from the Barn Sale. Several charities are invited to come at the end of the sale to pick up remaining usable items. For example, a Catholic Charities representative may come for baby items to make newborn layettes. Wayside Cross, Lazarus House and Hesed House may come to look for furniture, housewares and appliances. The goal is to find a new home for every usable item.

In addition to the benefits for the community and local charities, the event builds camaraderie among parishioners as hundreds of volunteers come together for a great cause. Proceeds from the Barn Sale will help pay down the Geneva parish’s building debt.

Kane County Fairgrounds is at 525 S. Randall Road, St. Charles. Admission to the sale is free; parking is $1. For details, visit stpeterchurch.com or call (630) 232-0124.