Estes Park is the gateway to the east side of Rocky Mountain Park. There are many summer homes in the area and it is a destination for a broad spectrum of nationalities, income levels, and interests. I started doing this show in 2010, and I have done it every year since then. I also do the Memorial Day show in Estes Park. The show is produced by the Estes Valley Sunrise Rotary, Inc. and they do an all-around EXCELLENT job!!!! The town is packed for the weekend, and leading up to the show there was a lot of promotion on Facebook. Este Park is a destination for families visiting the park and Denver motorcycle clubs making the run up Big Thompson Canyon and over Trail Ridge Road.
SETUP AND TAKE DOWN. Set up officially begins at 9:00am on Friday but Rotarians are present to check you in as early as 7:30am. If you are early you can park at your site to unload. Street parking is available within a block of the show, but oversize vehicle and trailers have to park at the fairgrounds. Free shuttle service is available from there, and in town. Volunteers are available to assist with unloading and set up.
Note to Rotary: If an artist does NOT want assistance please have volunteers help someone else. I encountered a persistent new fellow who was very eager to help, but he was really a hindrance for set up as my bins etc. were totally disorganized on the site. I didn’t have the heart to tell him to go away.
Takedown begins at 3:00pm on Monday and volunteers were there to help. Like set up, traffic was controlled and vehicles were not allowed in until you were ready to load. After paying your sales tax, you get a hot pink ticket. When your booth is knocked down and you are ready to load you get to bring your vehicle in. We loaded out around 6:30pm.
WEATHER. Temperatures were in the high 60’s to low 70’s. There was a misty rain Friday morning during set up, and it rained Friday night. There were a few sprinkles on Saturday. There were occasional gusty breezes.
THE SHOW. The show has 106 booths set up around the perimeter of Bond Park and in the parking lot for the town hall. Clean, indoor, accessible restrooms are in the town hall. The town was packed with people and thousands went through the art show. There was seldom a time when people were not in my booth, and I had several repeat clients. Belts were my top seller, with holsters, suspenders, flasks, reins, and several custom orders thrown in. My sales were a little over $4K range, and my largest sale was $360 for two belts, silver buckles and a flask.
There was a good balance of all art/craft mediums including edibles like jellies, pastas and salsas. Silent auctions run twice a day with donations from artists. There is no buy/sell at this show. Nuts and bolts for the show are in www.artshowreviews.com. The Rotarians have coffee and goodies in the morning, and booth sitters. All taxes are paid to the Rotary at the end of the show.
ANALYSIS. This was our last shown of the season. Gross sales at the September Labor Day show since 2010 have been in the $3-$5K range, and I consider it a good solid show year after year. Most of the belts sold were plain, and only a few were the more expensive carved with or without silver buckles. The Estes crowd is very middle class and price conscious. Over the three days I had 65 sales with an average sale of $65
THE OTHER FUN STUFF. There were lots of different dog breeds and babies at the show. Interacting with both was fun. We were able to rent our favorite cabin that is just up the hill from Bond Park. It was built in 1898 but it is modern and cozy. The hot tub is great after a day on the street. We drove down the hill to Loveland Saturday evening for an engagement party for our oldest grandson. Driving back up Big Thompson Canyon at night with a stream or cars exiting Estes Park coming down was a different experience.
Photos:
1. The crowd
2. The “village coming to life”. Longs Peak (14,255') in distance.
3. My new booth arrangement with center island
4. Bear Bottom Cabin
5. Spike bull elk outside of cabin
Comments
I'll add in that the show was a little below its average for us, but we took evasive maneuvers before the show to get sales (changed what product/items we brought). From what we saw, it helped us a lot. It is the one show each year where hands are all over the items touching the canvas, metal and frames (even had a toothpick being poked at the canvas this year).
I'd like one of those buckles ...
Solid review, Richard. It's a great life, isn't it? Making what interests you, meeting interesting people on the weekends, hanging out in the mountains with your family. Let's not retire.
No, and not expected. Talked to police and filed report so there will be no question on taxes for theft loss. FOI: I was shoplifted, $450 hand engraved sterling silver buckle I made. Only 3rd time in over 20 years: $250 hand engraved sterling silver mounted hatband at Crested Butte, $400 hand engraved sterling silver money clip at Manitou Springs, CO.Thieves like my hand engraved work LOL. Jean caught a girl lifting one of my books at Jackson, WY. Management went looking for her.
Fantastic critique, fantastic photos! Thanks, Richard, sounds like a good time...
Some day we will retire and I hope to venture beyond Wisconsin to try other shows.