This past weekend I exhibited at the Cocoa Beach art festival, not to be confused with the Spacecoast art festival which was originally at this location but last year moved to port canaveral. For a fledgling show in its second year I feel they did a good job.
This show is tied in with a music festival, a turkey trot marathon and the local firefighter chili cook off and has a very loyal following from locals and tourists alike. The people turned enmass on Saturday ready to buy and buy they did, Sunday was about half the crowd but still respectable. Financially this was the best show I've done since returning to Florida, seldom can I say I do 15 times expenses. I spoke with several artists with varying sales, wood turner $3500, jeweler $2500, glass artist $3100, others didn't want to give totals but most I spoke with were satisfied with their sales. I saw several pieces of large decorative art that found new homes.
This show is laid out along main streets, and in adjoining parking lots, no back to backs and very generous spaces. Set up was the day before and staggered, breakdown was the usual free for all that we see at most shows but no blood shed. Plentiful volunteers offering booth sitting, a very nice breakfast both mornings of fresh fruit, muffins, bagels and cream cheese, juice and three different types of hot coffee. The music during the art show was a good volume and age appropriate.
This show does have awards although I'm not sure of the structure or amounts, but I did see a few of the winners and I do agree with the judges decisions.
For a relatively new show I think they did a credible job and I will definitely be applying to this show again.
Comments
I agree with you, Connie, loved Lori's story too! I'm new to the group, and look forward to sharing and learning from the battle-hardened warriors a lot of you are!
Regards, Patricia
Yes! Lori you made money in Florida and so did some other folks!! Great review, you write so well, I've missed your contributions here for some time now.
My favorite quote: breakdown was the usual free for all that we see at most shows but no blood shed.
Oh yes, my husband always spent Sunday figuring out the load out and of course we parked EARLY on Sunday morning in a special place ;)
His last show was one I was running in Michigan and we had a ceremonial drive into the show at the end of the day with him leading the pack and the staff making sure he was there first.
Congratulations on a lucrative show! I love hearing about shows like this because it gives us all hope, so thanks for sharing it with us and best wishes for continued success.