City of Canton cancels First Monday Trade Days for first time in 170 year history

CANTON, Texas (KLTV) – Since the 1850s, First Monday Trade Days in Canton has been a place where thousands of people from all over the country have gone to shop. Now, for the first time ever, the gates will be closed next month due to the COVID-19 outbreak.

“I’ve grown up going to Trade Days my whole life, and to not have it available to us is crazy,” said Canton business owner Jeana Dickerson.

Mayor of Canton Lou Ann Everett says she made decision to cancel Trade Days after seeing the virus spread across the country.

“Watching it grow and watching it grow and it’s like, you know, this is not good this is going to get us sooner or later and whenever the governor came out and declared a state of emergency, it’s like, you know, that includes us,” Everett said.

More than 1,000 vendors rely on first Monday as a source of income. Everett says the decision to close up shop took a lot of thought.

“Yes, it’s a loss of income, yes I understand a lot of people depend on it, but then again in light of things, these are very new, unusual, strange times and we have to do what we have to do in order to keep our community and my community safe,” Everett said.

Now as the community prepares to have their first, first Monday without a Trade Days, Everett says they look forward to opening again.

“It’s just part of life. It’s not good, it’s not fun, but we will make it through,” Everett said.