A sign for The Great Junk Hunt at the Oregon State Fairgrounds on Thursday, April 8, 2021. (Amanda Loman/Salem Reporter)
Since the pandemic began, the Oregon State Fairgrounds has been used as a temporary hospital, Covid testing site, temporary shelter for homeless people and wildfire evacuees, as well as a vaccination clinic.
But on Friday it will be used for a “normal” event for the first time since the pandemic this year as vendors with the Great Junk Hunt set up shop in the fairground’s pavilion.
Wayne Petersen, director of expo center events and state fair vendors, said the fairgrounds typically hosts 250 events a year including gun and car shows, dances and others. But it didn’t host any events like this last year because of the pandemic.
Held through Sunday, April 11, the Great Junk Hunt will give attendees the chance to check out farmhouse, vintage and handmade goods from about 100 vendors. Petersen said that social distancing measures will be in place for vendors and attendees. That means tickets, which are $8 and can be purchased here, need to be bought in advance to browse for a two-hour staggered period.
“So nobody can just show up and buy a ticket,” he said. “If you haven’t bought a ticket you can’t go.”
The event is good news for vendors like Christy Hooper, the owner of Salem-based JC Farmhouse Design Co., who will have a booth in the pavilion.
Her company handmakes cabinets, chairs, sign frames and other furniture from reclaimed windows from old houses — some of which are over 100 years old. She said that people don’t know they want to buy her furniture until they walk past it.
“They are getting quality furniture with a piece of history,” she said. “Each piece is unique because it’s based on the windows we find.”
Hooper said she makes most of her sales at shows where her unique wares catch the eyes of passersby whom she chats up about how her materials were sourced. With the economy opening back up, she said she had four more shows in the next six weeks. She said it’s “hectic” but is glad to be back out talking to customers and other vendors.
Petersen said there are a dozen more events tentatively scheduled this year at the fairgrounds which he didn’t have details on. He stressed they can only take place if new Covid restrictions aren’t enacted.
He said there is one event he’s particularly hopeful about.
“We are proceeding with caution and we are hoping and crossing our fingers we will have a state fair this year,” he said.
Contact reporter Jake Thomas at 503-575-1251 or [email protected] or @jakethomas2009.
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