Washington County Enterprise-Leader
Junk Ranch Weekend Ready To Wow
Amy Daniels and Julie Speed are celebrating their fourth full year working together and their ninth Junk Ranch Weekend as partners.
“This year we will have over 105 vendors, 250 booths, a dozen food trucks and several bands,” Amy explained. “We have a big red barn and an old farmhouse. We have three large festival tents and a lot of the vendors who set up pop-up canopies. We sell mainly vintage and repurposed and repainted furniture and we have a pumpkin vendor this fall.”
The idea came to the pair a few years ago. Amy and Julie make it clear… Junk Ranch Weekend isn’t a typical “craft” show. It is, they said, going to be a fantastic weekend celebrating all things vintage and repurposed.
“It was just an idea to do something with vintage,” Amy said.
“There wasn’t anything like it in the area. We gave it a shot and it was very well received. So we went on the hunt for property, which Julie and her husband found.”
Now, Junk Ranch Weekend is a highly anticipated event around the region and draws pickers, collectors, antiquers and vendors from a dozen or more states.
“I think the crowds are an attraction for our vendors,” Julie said. “They are amazing. They love the crowds of people and shoppers. A lot of the vendors return year after year.”
While the variety of items available is a huge draw for shoppers on the lookout for unique finds, Amy suggested there is another draw, too.
“Part of the draw is that it’s a country and rural setting,” Amy said. “So it’s just different. You get to slow down and enjoy the day outside of the hustle and bustle.”
The craftsmanship of the one-of-a-kind items for sale is important to the weekend’s success.
“Most of our handmade items are repurposed,” Amy noted. “People will use an old tractor hood and weld it and put wood on it and turn it into a table. There is not a lot of conventional crafts, but a lot of repurposed.”
The partners said that there is something for everyone at Junk Ranch Weekend, even traditional collectors.
“We still have a lot of people whom are true-blue antiquers,” Amy said.
“They will bring out old trunks and have military, primitives and farm house vintage and antiques. We have a lot of merchandise that just ‘is what it is.’ We do try and stay as true to vintage as we can. It’s a nice mix. We don’t want to get it confused with a craft show. We want a distinct point of view.”
Amy and Julie said they pack a lot of activities into the two-day event.
“People arrive before we open the gates,” Amy said. “We have bands all day, food and so many vendors that people make a day of it. It’s become quite a thing. Vendors restock on Saturday and people come back to see what else has been put out.”
Want to go?
Junk Ranch Weekend is Oct. 6 and 7.
Friday is early shopping day and the best chance to find one-of-a-kind finds from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Admission is $10 per person with free re-entry on Saturday. Saturday hours are 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Kids 12 and under are free. Admission includes parking.
Want to know more? Go to www.thejunkranch.net for details, to view photo galleries of past events and for directions to 11195 Centerpoint Church Road, Prairie Grove.