Traffic came to a stop early on Saturday in downtown Red Bank.
That’s because the community’s 33rd annual Jubilee – which attracted hundreds of antique car aficionados, parade watchers, dog lovers and music fans – was underway.
At 10 a.m. a parade featuring vintage vehicles, sports teams and emergency vehicles began moving along Dayton Boulevard, which was lined with spectators ranging from elderly people on walkers to young couples pushing baby strollers.
For many diehard Jubilee-goers, however, the real attraction was inside Red Bank United Methodist Church, which had two things going for it: no intermittent rainfall, and a huge rummage sale packed with furniture, knickknacks and clothing at bargain basement prices.
This year’s turnout was smaller than last year’s, rummage sale workers acknowledged, given the town’s decision to hold the Jubilee in April rather than in May as has traditionally been done.
“They changed it because another car show was scheduled for the May date,” one man explained, “and it probably would have worked out better if it hadn’t rained.”
Outside the church, in the adjacent municipal playground where the Jubilee was held, crowds were treated to a dog agility demonstration by Play Dog Excellent. During the afternoon, they watched performances by Courtney Dickinson, Raenbow Station and Mountain Cove Bluegrass.
Inside, the bargains got better and better. Shortly after lunchtime, rummage sale workers began distributing plastic bags to browsing shoppers.
“It’s $1 for everything you can fit in the bag,” one woman told an elderly shopper browsing in the men’s clothing section.
“OK, this is what I came for!” the shopper said happily, grabbing several bags.