The 2023 Amish Mud Sale Schedule (Lancaster County Auction Calendar) [UPDATED]
The Lancaster County mud sale schedule for 2023 is now available, with the first event happening just a month from now.
These Amish-heavy events draw members of the community and outside visitors in support of the local volunteer fire companies. Many have large numbers of Plain volunteers on their rosters.
A mud sale is an opportunity to enjoy an Amish-attended auction event, eat tasty auction food, and maybe buy something interesting. Buggies, quilts, farm equipment, crafts, tools, furniture, antiques, horses, and more are sold at mud sales.
A portion of the proceeds from these events go to support the local fire company. So by attending these lively events you’re also supporting the community – specifically an important civic institution supported by both Plain and non-Plain residents.
Why is it called “mud sale”?
The name “mud sale” is rooted in the condition of the area fields due to the spring thaw. The tradition dates back to the 1960s as detailed in this article.
The sales are typically held in farmers’ fields, so if you have muck boots or other suitable shoes, you might want to bring them along, especially if you’re attending a mud sale happening in the actual winter-spring thaw period (the present-day mud sale calendar stretches into the summer and even autumn).
Many of them happen over two days, with different types of sales happening on each day. You’ll see both Amish and non-Amish people in attendance.
These are generally consignment auctions where people bring items for sale, with a percentage of the sale value going to the host fire company. Some of the mud sales have specific themes, like quilts or carriages.
This short video by Mark Pynes/Penn Live gives a great feel for mud sales:
Where do mud sales take place?
This tradition originated in Lancaster County and that is where the bulk of the mud sales take place today (at least one sale happens outside of Lancaster County, at Airville in York County).
Another place which holds an annual benefit sale is the Gratz Fire Company in Gratz, PA (Dauphin County) though I haven’t been able to find info on this year’s sale yet, so it doesn’t yet appear in the list below. UPDATE: I’ve added the info on the Gratz sale below, it is May 5-6. Hat tip to reader Jerry.
This is an annual happening and an important one for the region’s volunteer fire companies, which generate around one-third of their operating budget for the entire year over a single one-or-two-day event. The sales are held at the fire companies on the surrounding grounds.
In 2023, approximately 20 mud sales are scheduled to take place. Outsiders are welcome to attend, and you can find an event in the schedule below that works for you. It’s a good opportunity to combine a mud sale with a visit to the Amish community in Lancaster County.
Lancaster County Mud Sale Calendar – 2023
Be sure to confirm the dates and times before traveling long distances to one of these events. While changes are not too common (and this year’s schedule should certainly be more reliable than say that of 2020 and 2021, when many sales were canceled for Covid-related reasons), you want to be sure of times before making a trip. Each company’s website is listed as a source of further information.
February 2023
Strasburg Spring Consignment & Mud Sale
February 24 & 25
Strasburg Fire Company
203 Franklin Street
Strasburg, PA 17572
717-687-7232
strasburgfire.com
March 2023
Bart Township Auction & Mud Sale
March 3 & 4
Bart Township Fire Company
11 Furnace Road
Quarryville, PA 17566
717-786-3348
bart51.com
Gordonville Spring Mud Sale & Auction
March 10 & 11
Gordonville Fire Company
Old Leacock Road
Gordonville, PA 17566
717-768-3512
43fireems.com
Penryn Volunteer Fire Company Sale
March 17 & 18
Penryn Volunteer Fire Company
1441 North Penryn Road
Manheim, PA 17545
717-664-2825
penrynfire.com
West Earl Fire Company Quilt & Consignment Auction
March 18
West Earl Fire Company
14 School Lane Avenue
Brownstown, PA 17508
717-989-5986
westearlfire.org
Airville Volunteer Fire Company Mud Sale (York County)
March 18
Airville Volunteer Fire Company
3576 Delta Road
Airville, PA 17602
717-862-3806
avfc55.com
Farmersville Mud SaleMarch 24
Farmersville Volunteer Fire Company
74 East Farmersville Road
Ephrata, PA 17522
717-354-5094
farmersvillefire.com
Gap Fire Company Mud Sale & Auction
March 25
Gap Fire Company
802 Pequea Avenue
Gap, PA 17527
610-593-2480
gapfire.org
April 2023
Robert Fulton Sale
April 1
Robert Fulton Volunteer Fire Company
2271 Robert Fulton Highway
Peach Bottom, PA 17563
717-548-8995
513rffc.com
Rawlinsville Mud Sale
April 14 & 15
Rawlinsville Volunteer Fire Company
33 Martic Heights Drive
Holtwood, PA 17532
717-284-3023
rvfd58.com
Schoeneck Fire Company Mud Sales
April 15
Schoeneck Fire Company
125 N. King Street
Denver, PA 17517
717-336-6767
schoeneckfire.com
May 2023
Gratz Fire Company Sale
May 5-6
Gratz Fire Company
601 E Market St.
Gratz, PA 17030
717-572-0943
Fivepointville Auction
May 6
Fivepointville Fire Company
1087 Dry Tavern Road
Denver, PA 17517
717-445-4933
fivepointvillefire.net
Honey Brook Quilt Sale & Consignment Auction
May 13
Honey Brook Fire Company
Romano 4H Center
1841 Horseshoe Pike
Honey Brook, PA 19344
610-273-2688
honeybrookfire.org
Weaverland Valley Mud Sale
May 19 & 20
Weaverland Valley Fire Department
210 Lancaster Avenue
Terre Hill, PA 17528
717-445-7066
weaverlandvalleyfire.com
June 2023
Kinzer Fire Company Mud Sale
June 10
Kinzer Volunteer Fire Company
3521 Lincoln Highway East
Kinzer, PA
717-442-4121
kinzerfire.com
Refton Fire Company Mud Sale
June 23 & 24
Refton Volunteer Fire Company
99 Church Street
Refton, PA 17568
717-786-9462
refton59fire.com
Lancaster County Carriage & Antique Auction Bird-in-Hand
June 29 & 30
Bird-in-Hand Volunteer Fire Company
313 Enterprise Drive
Bird-in-Hand, PA 17505
717-392-0112
birdinhandauction.com
August 2023
Bareville Fire Company Consignment Auction
August 26
Bareville Volunteer Fire Company
211 East Main Street
Leola, PA 17540
717-656-7554
barevillefire.com
September 2023
Gordonville Fall Mud Sale & Auction
September 16
Gordonville Fire Company
Old Leacock Road
Gordonville, PA 17566
717-768-3869
43fireems.com
October 2023
Cochranville Fire Company Mud Sale
October 21
Cochranville Volunteer Fire Company
3135 Limestone Road
Cochranville, PA
610-593-5800
cochranvillefire.com
Put on your Boot!
Erik, thank you for the Mud Sale article & video. If you haven’t already done so, please consider doing a future article on an Amish (or largely Amish) volunteer fire department. Thanks, Jim
Hi Jim, glad you liked it. I don’t believe I have one “big” post on the topic but I do have a few which go into aspects of Amish volunteer firefighters that may be of interest. The first features photos by a reader of Amish putting out a fire.
https://amishamerica.com/amish-firefighters/
https://amishamerica.com/amish-firemen-in-new-york/
https://amishamerica.com/amish-firefighters-emts-using-motorized-scooters/
Gratz Mud Sale
The Gratz sale is always the first Saturday in May. So the 5 and 6 of May. Friday will be the horse auction.
The Lebanon Valley sale in Reistville is always the last Friday/Saturday in June. The 23 and 24th in 2023.
The Perry County Auction is the second Saturday of July.
My first sale on the left side of the Susquehanna is April 15 at the Beaver Run Sale in Montour County in Danville, PA. The Gratz sale is a benefit of the local fire company and the are Amish Schools. The other three are Amish School benefit auction only.
Thanks for the additional info here Jerry. I think I’ll just add the Gratz sale, in keeping with the unofficial definition of a mud sale as one that benefits fire companies. Glad to know about these others though.
I have been intending to attend a Mud Sale for several years and hope to do so in next 12 months. Since I’m traveling over 1200 miles and most interested in field equipment , which mud sale generally has the greatest selection of used field equipment? Thank you very much.