It’s autumn, and more than a dozen working barns in and around Metropolis are about to undergo a holiday transformation. Tractors are pulled out, farm equipment is tucked away and a few woolly sheep are sent to pasture. In their place come handmade crafts, repurposed treasures, Christmas decor and homemade goodies for the annual Christmas Barn Sale Trail.
The trail in Massac County began with a shopping trip. In 2017, sisters-in-law Monica Obermark and Chasida Williams visited a couple of barn sales and left inspired. They brought the idea home, and soon Amy Williams, another sister-in-law, their husbands and a few friends were on board. They set a date for the following year and spent the months leading up to it creating and collecting items for barn sales of their own.
As interest grew among craftspeople and shoppers alike, the trail expanded from four barns to 17, but with more stops added, crowds continued to grow. Many of the barns are located on Southern Illinois Electric Cooperative lines.
Regular customer Kelley Sullivan eventually suggested offering a paid pass that would give a limited number of shoppers early access. The sisters-in-law loved the idea, and one of the trail’s most popular traditions — the VIP pass — was born.
VIP passes go on sale June 1 each year for $25 and are limited to 400 shoppers. They sell out quickly. Passholders get exclusive access to all participating barns on Thursday, a day before the trail opens to the public Friday and Saturday. VIP shoppers can also pick up a bingo card to have stamped at each barn they visit. Completed cards can be turned in at any barn for entry into a prize drawing.
There’s an added incentive to snag a VIP pass early. The first 100 shoppers to sign up receive a gift bag filled with small craft items, coupons and treats. Tammie Wiseman Obermark, one of the barn owners, says the bag alone is worth the price of admission.
With the number of stops along the trail, visiting every barn can take more than a day. Some shoppers return for a second day, while others stick to their favorite stops. But for many, the trail is about more than shopping — it’s also a fun weekend with friends. Kelley and six longtime friends, for example, meet for lunch before piling into two cars and squeezing in as much shopping as they can.
Each stop along the trail offers something different. Many of the barns host multiple vendors, including Tammie’s, where shoppers can browse everything from vintage aprons and unique wreaths to crocheted ornaments, pottery, handmade pet collars and soaps.
“People are traveling, and so they like little things they can easily get into their cars,” Tammie says. She describes the assortment “like Grandma’s basement,” and she makes room for local vendors and organizations.
Four vendors share space in the Blessed + Grateful barn, where elegant white candles displayed on china stand out against a dark wooden hutch. A wreath adorned with pieces of china and coordinating ribbons catches the eye, while fully decorated Christmas trees, carefully arranged home decor and shelves of pristine china fill the space.
The Market at Deasel Cattle Company also brings together multiple vendors and an eclectic mix of merchandise. Shoppers might find whimsical Santas — including cowboy and hippie versions — alongside vintage kitchenware, such as teapots and cake pans, and plenty of Christmas decor.
Carol Ellerbusch, owner of the barn at Lay Lay’s Cowhide Company, creates every item in the 2,000-plus-square-foot barn. One wall holds distressed framed pictures which Carol decoupages. She sells a lot of ornaments, which she makes from porch spindles and chandeliers, as well as a variety of trees also set on spindles.
Melissa Thomasson, who solos at Faerie Glen, had a line nearly out the door last year within an hour after the VIP opening. She loves repurposing old quilts, cutting out the designs and sewing them onto pillows and sweatshirts.
One of her most popular items is her “blind date with a book.” Each one is wrapped, adorned with sprigs of holly and spruce, with a pouch of tea and a bookmark tucked into a pocket she’s made for the cover.
The trail also includes stops at Junkey Girl’s for a can’t-miss glimpse of their “flower pot people” and at Giltner Family Farm for unique crocheted vintage greeting cards. Many visitors cannot resist picking out a whimsical wooden snowman at Burnham’s Crafts, and Southern Blend’s gift packets are both beautiful and fragrant.
The sisters-in-law behind the barn trail do more than organize the event each year — they also operate barns of their own. Amy and Monica run the 606 Market Barn Edition, an extension of the store the three women own in Metropolis.
Amy, who is an artist, sells acrylic paintings, chalk pastels and watercolors ranging in price from $7 to $1,500. Monica specializes in personalized granite pieces, “year-in-review” ornaments and furniture she gives new life through refinishing and repurposing. Chasida operates the Custom Southern Company and Poco Pickers barn, where shoppers can find an assortment of Santas, jewelry, antiques and vintage finds.
The holiday spirit extends beyond the merchandise, with many stops transforming their barns and grounds for the occasion. Each year, the Rustic Rose creates an elaborate outdoor vignette, while at the Little Grain Bin Sign Co., an old pickup truck becomes part of the decor, decked out with candy canes, a life-size Santa and cheerful gingerbread figures.
At Deasel Cattle Company, wooden business signs get a holiday makeover with colorfully wrapped packages, greenery and holly. Circle K Creations adds its own festive touch, shuttling shoppers to and from the parking lot in a bright red utility vehicle decorated for Christmas.
As the trail becomes better known, customers come from all over the U.S., including Georgia, New York, Wisconsin and Texas. Thanks to the influx of customers, many of the vendors sell up to 80% of their stock during the three-day sale.
Although barn owners want to bring business to local restaurants, virtually all of them offer snacks for sale, and some have food trucks. Depending on the barn, you may find hot chocolate, muffins, funnel cakes, tacos, or other snacks and drinks.
Miranda’s Delights, a Vienna-based bakery with a table set up at Blessed + Grateful barn, sells pastries such as red velvet brownies, banana pudding cookies and pumpkin pies, among other items.
There’s no specific route for navigating the Christmas Barn Sale Trail — and that’s intentional. Organizers avoid recommending one to keep too many shoppers from arriving at the same barns at once. Maps are available at 606 Market, located in downtown Metropolis, and at each participating barn. There are also colorful directional signs along the roads that help guide shoppers from stop to stop.
After years of barn sales, there are plenty of stories to tell, but one from Chasida’s most recent sale stands out. Months earlier, she had found a small hand-carved Santa and put it up for sale. While shopping on the trail, a mother and daughter spotted it and stopped. They immediately recognized the carving: The older woman’s father, who died earlier that year, had made it.
Chasida didn’t hesitate. “Take it,” she told them. “It’s yours. Please.” The women insisted on paying for the Santa, taking home something far more meaningful than anything they expected to find that day. For Chasida, it was a reminder that sometimes the best find along the trail is simply the magic of the holiday season.
This year’s Christmas Barn Sale Trail will be held Nov. 13-14. Visitors can purchase tickets online for early VIP access, which will be held on Nov. 12. Go to thechristmasbarnsaletrail.com to learn more.
