It took us a while to get accepted into this show, but it was recommended to us by T'Louise and we are so grateful this year to get accepted. This was my 5th attempt. The show brings such a diverse crowd! So many different types of people, saying so many different things... It was the first time we have used lights - we loved our booth at night. We were right by an acoustic stage so the music was beautiful with our glass mosaics lit up. We pull a travel trailer so we stayed in Grant Park. That was a 3/4 mile easy walk to the show. Had to pull over the curb, but we made it. We would drive to the show and drop off our water and supplies for the day, drive the truck back to the park and walk back to the show. It was a nice place to sleep, very quiet.
Set up was easier then we expected. We pulled up at our time and unloaded, moved our truck to the parking lot behind us. The show electric cords were a problem because huge box & cords were heavily in the way, but the festival workers went and got the appropriate person to move them. I was not as nice as i could of been about that - sorry.... I knew it was going to rain and i was scared of the electricity.
All our information in our packets was correct and there were many many many volunteers that would come assist you in anything you needed. Sales were BRISK on all 4 days, I had to go to bed, so we really had to happily scoot people out of our booth EVERY NIGHT so we could leave. Every time we did that, it ended up in 3 sales. People bought what they were pondering about and they panicked! Woke up to Saturday that was crazy busy - I have NEVER seen crowds like that - One of our best 1 days... Sunday was more of the same, Monday everything was gone. Young buyers, mature & experienced buyers - many from Canada - FABULOUS concerts, food, games and the T-shirt choices. My 13 year old is happy.. Some may say, its very fair like, but that is what patrons like about this show. It brings in such a diverse group of people... If your art has a personality to it, it will sell. This was our best show we have ever done... No one complained about our prices. We start at $40 and go up to $3500. We have to miss Arts & Apples because we have nothing to sell!
The police were intense at the show as to giving tickets for parking... I was scared everywhere we parked, but you gotta park somewhere! we need a 20 min. close parking pass to drop off our things... parking was very difficult. There are just so many, from artists to carnival folk to patrons that need to park. I like that the art is kept to a certain area, but intertwined with all the activities going on. Everyone that walked past said how awesome the show was to be at. Everyone was carrying something... Lots of beer, but lots of art too, and most kids had a light up something at the end of the day. Take down is great because we do what T'Louise suggests: zip it up & go eat. So we do. We pull in a hour and a half later and easily take down. The crew that were cleaning the streets - I counted. It was 23 seconds after someone put out their cigarette on the ground before someone came and swept it up! Very clean show, the streets didn't smell like beer and no beer was spilled on me or in my booth. And no pets! That was awesome - I like dogs, but at big shows, they get stepped on and they pee. Sometimes on Mike's shoe that his foot is wearing. Our trailer got trapped at the end of the show, so we had to stay Monday night. MC Hammer was playing and the parking lot was packed. Our trailer was not getting out. It was ok. We were tired.
I was very happy with this show. It didn't feel long to us, maybe because we always had live entertainment right behind the booth. The frozen wine slushee company is great to be by! They bring in a crowd that wanders at your booth!
When we pulled out on Tuesday morning, staff were busy picking up garbage in the park and along every parking lot we passed. Royal Oak is a nice city to have a show. It's like the upscale areas of Florida, St. Armand's Circle, where pedestrians can cross the street and the cars must stop. The restaurant Jimi's behind us was delicious and let us use their restrooms.
The leather purse booth was lost in the storm on Friday night, we had 12" of standing water in the bottom of the booth, so the show called us to let us know about that. We went down to see... our neighbor lost her tent, we helped her as well as many others and festival staff bent over backwards to help her. Our tent was fine because we had zero items on the floor. Stan Baker lost 1 dish, but he gave that to me to mosaic with! Thanks Stan! Ill give it right back to you, just different!
I don't think I could do this show alone. I see so many artists alone... You are troopers! That's HARD work! Thanks Lisa!
Comments
Great review, and information. Thank you so much!
It doesn't surprise me that this event would be 1st rate because I just had the chance to meet Lisa Konikow this past weekend -- she was one of the judges at the Winter Park Autumn Art Festival. Any judge who takes the time to introduce themselves and extend their hand is A-OK in my book. So, if she is that attentive to each artist as a judge, I know she would be attentive to the needs of artists at her own event. She revisited my booth Sunday afternoon and gave me her Arts Beats Eats business card and mentioned the event several times in conversation and lo & behold, here is a review of it at AFI! If you hadn't said you already forwarded the review to her and the others involved in the show, Connie, I would do it myself 'cause people who work that hard and are so nice, too, deserve to know their efforts are appreciated.
Wow, I think this was the best review ever.
Oops! downtown streets of Royal Oak, Michigan
I've got to tell you, Tracy, that this review does my heart good. This is a "festival" and has never made apologies about that -- anyone who signs up knows it is not all about the art.
That being said, I was in on the beginnings of the event and continued to be involved until two years ago. What in particular I like about your review is it gives credit to so many facets of this complicated event. People work year round to find good volunteers; map out the whole area to find parking places for all the participants (let alone those who come to visit the show); find good vendors - like the frozen slushie guys; keep the streets clean (Road Runners does a great job on this); make logistics as easy as possible for the artists (loading in and out); prepare info that will make it easy for first timers to make their way through the maze of scaffolds, electricians, parking, stages; make sure everyone's individual booth's electricity is working even when the street floods; make sure the music near the art area doesn't impinge on interacting with customers, etc.!
When I read this review I forwarded it immediately to all the folks who make this happen: Lisa Konikow, Mary Flynn (volunteers), Jon Witz (whose baby it is), Lori Witz (Jon's wife and the head of the Music), Stephanie McIntyre (in charge of finding places to park), Jeff Wilson who oversees all the Operations, etc. Thanks for appreciating all the work that goes on behind the scenes, Tracy.
And congratulations on your good sales. I'm happy today.