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White Elephant Sale—An Oakland Tradition

Oh, it’s so on. We’re less than one week away from the iconic White Elephant Sale’s first event of the season—the Preview Sale. If you’re into quirky housewares, vintage rugs and furniture, thrift shopping for clothes, classic vinyl and instruments, or any number of other items, the Preview Sale this Sunday, January 29, 10 am to 4 pm is the place to be. Get a little glimpse of the action in the video above. 
 
The Sale is impressive in many ways—spread out over a 96,000 square foot warehouse, the building takes up the size of two football fields, and high-quality, gently-used donations are collected and sorted into 17 departments by a small army of over 1,000 year-round volunteers.  Since its humble beginnings as a yard sale in the early 1960s, the Sale, put on every year by the Oakland Museum Women’s Board has raised over $24 million for the Museum, supporting its exhibitions, acquisitions, capital improvements, and education programs. 
 
Pick up advance Preview Sale tickets in-person at the OMCA Store or online at WhiteElephantSale.org, and save a few bucks, or cop them at the door for $20. Can’t make it this weekend? Never fear—the full-blown sale is on the first weekend in March, Saturday March 4 and Sunday March 5, both days 10 am to 4 pm. To make it even easier to haul your finds away, there’s a free shuttle to and from the warehouse and Fruitvale BART on all sale days. Now, you have no excuse not to shop to your heart’s content.

Get tickets to the White Elephant Sale, and learn more about transportation, departments, and what to expect at WhiteElephantSale.org.