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Wednesday is the first day for the sidewalk sale in Burlington at the Church Street Marketplace.

The annual sale event has been going on since 1970 and will continue until Aug. 14.

“It is a way for us to highlight some of our summer deals, move some of our older inventory, and make way for what’s to come in 2022,” said David Botjer, from Outdoor Gear Exchange.

Outdoor Gear Exchange has already started receiving shipments of big bulky items like skis and puffy jackets.

“We’ll change over from bike to ski season to make room, so we’ll be bringing out new skis in the next month or so as well as boots, snowboard equipment and the like,” said Botjer.

To make room, stores are slashing prices by as much as 60%.

Some shoppers who live in the area, like Jocelin Kaplin, were hoping to get their hands on something they may not have been able to afford otherwise.

‘It’s pretty expensive down here, it’s pretty touristy, so they mark everything up,” said Kaplin. “It's cheaper, and while my out-of-town family is here, they’re pretty excited about it.”

The sale in August comes at a time when people are still enjoying the summer and stores prepare for a comparatively slower fall shopping season. “We’re kind of looking for wedding season clothes, it's that time of year,” shopper Eva Rasho said. The event creates an opportunity to introduce shoppers to stores they haven’t been to before, with sales lining all down the marketplace. Around 25,000 people are expected to visit the sidewalk sale event by Sunday.

The marketplace said they’re considering moving the event to the end of July come summer of 2023 because stores have already started receiving boxes of fall and winter gear in August.

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