Published: March 31, 2008 03:18 pm            

Swap meet

DUNCAN — Unlike last year, rain didn’t come to dampen the spirits of those participating in the auto swap meet this weekend at the Stephens Fair & Expo Center.

The second annual installment of the program may have included cool temperatures, but the number of vendors and spectators increased from the first year.

Program Coordinator Zack Thornton said, “We’ve had quite a bit of foot traffic. This is just our second year. We still have some growing pains.”

Thornton said many people traveled quite a ways to participate in the swap meet. But many others, like Duncan residents Willie Taylor and Wes Rightmire, didn’t have far to go.

Taylor said the event gave him and his brother, Don, the opportunity to not only make money but also make friends.

“Me and my brother don’t care if we sell anything,” he said. “We just like to meet people at the swap meet.

“Everyone is just friendly. We’ll come back next year. It’s one of the best things in Duncan.”

The Taylors aren’t the only people returning for the 2009 program. By noon Saturday, 117 spots were already reserved for next year. Rightmire said he was going to double his spaces next year.

The second annual event was successful for both vendors and shoppers because of the variety of items, he said. Cars were parked up and down 13th Street in front of the fairgrounds.

He said he expects more to come of the program in future years.

“It sure has grown,” he said. “It’s going to grow. Duncan needed this.”

Thornton had a similar thought.

“It’s working out,” he said. “We need another two or three years to be where we need to be.”

Rightmire compared the event to a swap meet in Chickasha. He said the program has the potential to be bigger than the Chickasha event.

Both Taylor and Thornton said the fairgrounds themselves helped make the project a success.

“We’re impressed with the facilities,” Thornton said. “A lot of people don’t realize that tax money is still going to it.”

Taylor said many improvements have been made to the Fair and Expo Center since last year. What was gravel is now paved, he said.

Although both Taylor and Rightmire had success in selling items during the weekend festivities, that isn’t why they participated. They said they wanted to do it so they could meet people and talk to one another.

The money is just a bonus.

“We make friends and get a little coffee money at the same time,” Taylor said. “This is wonderful. I enjoy it.

“I think it will get bigger every year.”

        

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