Trade Day coming back

By Michael Butler

Tallassee Trade Day is returning this fall, but it will be different than the traditional model. The annual event happened every year from 1989-2016, but was discontinued.

After a five year absence, the Tallassee Chamber of Commerce is bringing back Trade Day. Unlike in past years, Trade Day will be contained to the downtown district. Traditionally, the event was held on King Street.

This year's Trade Day will be similar to recent sidewalk sales put on by the Chamber over the past year.

"We have a sidewalk event on the day we have Trade Day," Tallassee Chamber of Commerce director Jerry Cunningham said. "This year, we're going to make it bigger than the other sidewalk events. It will have a different look."

Trade Day was last put on in 2016

Cunningham said the Trade Day will be on the third Saturday in October as it was for so many years.

"It's right in the heart of town and people have to drive through," Cunningham noted of being along Barnett Boulevard as opposed to King Street. "It does create a lot more interest even with people from out of town."

Cunningham said there will be more food vendors and entertainment.

"There's so much work that's been done with Trade Day over the years. There were a lot of good things happening. It needs a little bit of a change. It kind of lost its luster. You have to look back each year and see how you can make it a little bit better."