The Allen Parish Re-Thunk Junk Trail is expanding to a three-day event this October as organizers plan for more vendors and larger crowds.

“We have had such success in the past eight years that vendors started wanting more, so we decided to extend it to three days this year,” Allen Parish Tourist Commission Director Adagria Haddock said.

Rain or shine, the 8th annual Allen Parish Re-Thunk Junk Trail will be held 7 a.m.-5 p.m. Friday, Oct. 18 and Saturday, Oct. 19. It continues 7 a.m.-3 p.m. on Sunday, Oct. 20.

Adding an extra day will also help promote the parish and attract more visitors to enjoy all that the parish has to offer, according to Haddock.

“We want people coming into the parish and to enjoy getting out in the communities,” she said. “While they are here, they can stop for a bite to eat at one of our local restaurants, stop to get gas or pick up a snack at our convenience stores and maybe spend a night or two in our local hotels. It will be a good time for the whole family.”

The Re-Thunk Junk Trail will feature miles of flea markets, garage sales, arts and craft booths and more stretching throughout the parish. It will  pass through local communities including Elizabeth, Oakdale, Oberlin, Kinder and Reeves and points in between, Haddock said.

Individuals, families, churches and civic groups are also encouraged to hold garage sales along the route.

“We had over 100 vendors last year and we expect at least that or more this year by expanding it to three days,” Haddock said.

Shoppers can expect to find antiques, repurposed items, handmade crafts, homemade goodies and more during the three-day event Haddock described as a “junkapalooza.”

“There are treasures to be found and three days to find them with many spots along the way,” she said. “Whether you are a vendor or a junker-at-heart, there is plenty to keep you busy.”

The event gives area residents a chance to clean out their closets and garages to free up space and earn some extra cash, she said.

For shoppers, it is a chance to find a bargain and haggle for deals.

Shoppers can expect to find just about anything along the trail, Haddock said. Items will include furniture, driftwood items, antiques, arts and craft items, jewelry, glassware, household goods, home decor, toys, baby items, clothing, books and more. Several booths will also be selling homemade jellies, jams, bread and baked goods.

Food booths will be set up at the Allen Parish Welcome Center in Kinder and Veterans Memorial Park in Oberlin selling burgers and other meals for hungry shoppers.

The trek for treasures and bargains will also feature several designated “hot spot” areas with five or more vendors set up at one location.

Vendors wanting to be listed as a “hot spot” for this year’s event need to contact the Allen Parish Tourist Commission office by Sept. 1. to be included on the hot spots shopping maps that will be handed out to shoppers. The map will be available online the first week of October.

Vendor space is free to all Allen Parish residents. Out-of-parish vendors will be charged $20 for one space, $35 for two spaces or $45 for three or more spaces.

Vendors planning to set up at the Allen Parish Welcome Center and Veterans Memorial Park, both located along U.S. 165, must complete an application by Oct. 17. Applications and rules can be found under Re-Thunk Junk on the season events listing of the tourist commission’s website at www.allenparish.com. Applications are required at other locations in the parish.

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For more information, contact the Tourist Commission at 337-639-4868 or online at www.allenparish.com