THE Great Douglas Street Garage Sale is back for a fourth consecutive year on Saturday.

Residents spanning the length of Douglas Street will have stalls featuring a range of pre-loved items outside their houses between 8am and 12pm.

The event is organised each year by a group of residents led by Poppy Jansakul.

Ms Jansakul said the idea originated from her time living in Auckland when they would have inorganic collection days. Everyone would put their unwanted items on their grass verges for people to take away.

Combining this with the garage sale concept created a great opportunity for everyone along the street with excess clutter in their homes and garages to make a little cash. It also benefitted the buyers to have several garage sales on at the same time and place.

Ms Jansakul said the annual sale brought the community together, with only those living on the street – or with a connection to and express permission from a resident – allowed to hold a stall.

She said the annual street sale had gone from strength to strength, with last year’s sale the most successful yet.

About 40 households along the street opened stalls, with some selling food items, and one home opening a temporary cafe for people to sit and have a drink and something to eat.

Community Resource Whakatāne (CReW) will, for the second year, be collecting unsold items vendors wish to donate at the end of the event.

Ms Jansakul warns, however, that CReW reserves the right to refuse any items not suitable for resale.

A list of items they will not accept is available on its website crewonline.org.nz.

A competition is being held for the best stallholder based on the presentation of their stall, how interesting and affordable their items are, friendliness and how well they tidy up afterwards.

This year, Whakatāne Mayor Nandor Tanczos will be on the judging panel alongside district councillor Carolyn Hamill, musician Hani Totorewa, Otamakaokao Kaitiaki trustee Quin Kingi and Thornton School principal Shelley Bremner.

Winners will be able to choose from two prize packs that include store vouchers, movie passes and aquatic centre concessions.