Blog

I recently returned from doing The Arlington Festival of The Arts in Arlington VA.  It was the third time for this show and the second time for me.  It is a small show, around 100 artists in a wonderful area on the streets of Arlington VA.  

Set up is Saturday morning but it isn't a bad one.  The streets are wide and I am able to show up around 7 am, drive to my booth and set up easy peasy.  There are plenty of parking options.  My booth is right infront of a Trader Joes (awesome) and I park the tall truck in their garage parking lot just under my booth.  Booths are set up across from eachother and everyone has room in the back.  

The weather on Saturday was perfect.  The people were ready to enjoy a day outside.  The people that live in this area are young professionals with money.   Everyone is qualified.  Everyone is looking for art.  The patrons mainly live within walking distance of the show or with in a couple miles.  Almost everyone I spoke with had plenty of empty walls and often more than just one home with empty walls.  The crowds started early and it was so busy my partner and I had to agree that neither of us could leave the booth for more than 3 minutes.  Quick potty breaks:)  No one had sticker shock.  By lunch time on Saturday our three biggest pieces were gone.  We could have left happy at that point.  Most of the work we sold that day we were able to walk it to the homes but we had some deliveries.  Since the traffic is crazy in the DC area we opted to deliver the pieces that were not in Arlington on Sunday morning.

Sunday morning I was dropped off at the booth and my partner ran around DC to deliver.  In my area we got a wind tunnel that morning.  By the time I arrived there were a few booths that had to break down because the wind was too much for their fragile work.  Even with the wind people were out shopping at 10 am.  It was hairy trying to baton down the booth with patrons trying to shop but a girl has to do what a girl has to do.  I was not as busy as Saturday but since I was by myself until 1 pm I rarely had a moment when I wasn't talking to someone.  Sunday I saw lots of big pieces walked out.  two three at a time.  Price points not an issue.  Actually the higher the better.  Not one of the smaller pieces sold but almost all the big did.   

Now not everyone had a good show.  It seemed that either you killed it or you didnt make booth.  If this crowd was your market than you killed.  The first year this show was in Spring.  The next year it was in the fall.  Now it was scheduled back in Spring.  Many patrons asked me if their would be a fall show.  They hoped there would be since they told me the weather was more predictable in the fall.  I dont know if that is true or not I don't live there.  

Break down was easy.  We opted to break down and dolley using the elevator to the truck.  On the road less than an hour after close.  They opened the streets for vehicles exactly one hour after close.  So if you can break down fast you can get out fast.

I dont have many pics, too busy, but these may give you an idea of layout.