I just did my first tent show and learned a lot about what NOT to do. I found this site about a week before the show. The advice to attend a show before getting a booth is good. If I had, I might not have invested my money and time in this one, which was essentially a neighborhood street fair.
However, it was Saturday only, and served as a practice show. Now I know how to set up my tent <g>. So if you include tuition for on-the-job training in the cost, it was pretty reasonable.
What do others do about the sheer physical labor of schlepping the tent and weights and tables around? Do you rent or borrow young people as stevadores? I don't want to stop doing this, now that I have begun, just because I am nearly 60 and getting creaky.
Carol in Chicago
Replies
Hi Carol,
I had to laugh when I read you post (at myself!) Because I describe my first fair as looking like a jewelry yard sale! I had 2 mismatched tables and stuff was just scattered on the tables.
The other members are right. A good cart is worth it's weight in gold. I use a rock and roller ( http://www.amazon.com/s/?ie=UTF8&keywords=rock+and+roller+cart&...
The mid sized one, they were made for moving sound equipment (hence the name!) And when I am exhibiting ( I'm taking a year off) I lift weights at a gym or I'd be in deep do do! I'm 57. And work and set up by myself. My tent weights are about 35 lbs apiece. Consider it a "Keep in Shape Plan"!
And I have gotten the BEST ideas for my booth from this group! God Bless them every one! The way people share good ideas here is a godsend for me and I'm sure many others. It showcases the attitude of most artist and the way they share.
Good luck!
- Robin Chard
Robin is right, working out daily is a necessity if you want to keep doing art fairs for any length of time. I'm 78 and still do the whole thing myself. (slowly) I live alone, my family are scattered up and down the East coast, and most of my friends are busy setting up their own booths at art fairs. I figure that if (when?) the day comes that I can't do it all myself I will have to retire, and I really don't want to do that yet! I've been doing art fairs for close to 35 years now and will do 19 - 20 shows this year, and I love the whole thing from creating art to selling it to happy customers. (All right, I will admit that packing up at the end of a show is no fun.)
Joan,
You are an inspiration to me. Just curious, do you travel on your own for overnight destinations far from home?
Do you just hope someone will be nice enough to help you put up the tent? I am mostly on my own
too, and I always feel stressed at the start of the show when I wonder if someone will volunteer to
help with the tent. Of course, another participant always seems to be there for me. I've come
to the conclusion that artists and crafters are among the nicest people in
the world.( By the way, thanks for responding to my question earlier.) Would love to hear about some of your experiences doing it on your own. Judy Bertram-Long
Hi, Carol! Sorry to hear the show in Hyde Park didn't go well for you. I'm in the Chicago area too and have yet to do a show that really wowed me. I do at least make my booth at most shows, so, worst case, I've spent a day chatting with a bunch of new people and passing the time. Not the worst way to spend a day, IMHO. I am still trying to find the shows that are the best fit for me. Had one last year, an indoor show, where I did quite well. Have already signed up again for that one for this year!
I'm still just starting out and have never really tried to do any of the very big art shows in this neck of the woods, but I'm getting closer. I'm very excited that I juried into Art in the Barn in Barrington in September and I'll be doing the summer festivals in both Hoffman Estates in June/July and Schaumburg's Septemberfest. I'm also waiting to hear back about Taste of Roselle, and a few other venues as well.
As to your question about help, I hired two high school boys I connected with through the daughter of a neighbor. I pay them cash at the end of each show. They are a Godsend. I couldn't do this without their help. If you search for other threads here, you'll see my tent setup and a report about what it took for me to set up by myself. Since then, I've only done two shows with the new setup, but I've had two helpers both times. And it still took three hours to get it all set up. I can't imagine what it would have taken if I'd tried to do it by myself!
My next show is down in Oswego in a little more than a week. I already have my boys all lined up and ready to go! It's a summer festival kind of thing, so I don't have hugely high expectations; but the crowds should be good and the area is known for its interest in the arts, so I'm willing to give it a shot. If nothing else, I'll use the time driving back and forth each day to take photos of an area I haven't visited before and/or scope out places to revisit when I have more time.
Good luck to you at your next show. Since we're in the same area, maybe we'll meet up at a show sometime!
Not Hyde Park - Oak Park, if you must know. I am very familiar with the Hyde Park Community and the 57th Street fairs -- this was smaller and quite different.
I'm sorry, Carol, that I got the location wrong. Not sure why I even mentioned Hyde Park. Perhaps I was reading too many threads at the same time. Nonetheless, I'm not sure why your reply appears to be so snippy. Did I offend you in some way by misnaming the location of the fair you attended? I was only trying to offer constructive info in response to your original query. Sorry that my suggestion for a way to find help didn't seem to make it past my mention of Hyde Park.
Not intended to be snippy - sorry you were upset. I like to keep it brief as I am overwhelmed with many things to juggle these days. Thanks you for your good ideas, which I DID read and appreciate.
Welcome to the group. Website like this and Larry Berman had help a lot of artist. I wish they have this website when I started in 1994 because it took me 6 years to learn the basics. Let said I started in 2000.
You can get a friend to help for set up and break down . Just be nice to them so they want to keep helping you. Time yourself for the set up and break down. After a while you will know how much time you need so you wont stress out about. Drink a lot of water and the must important thing have fun.
Work on your display and if you doing jewelery paid for electric.
Hi Carol and welcome to AFI :) Lots of wonderful information - as you're finding! Sorry to hear the first show wasn't what you were expecting... but you're right, its all experience and practice!
I find it tiring hauling everything in and out but passion for the job keeps you going! Definitely invest in a dolly/trolley of some description to cut down on part of the carrying and I always try and take a friend - to keep me company, to help with unloading/packing up and so you can take a break occasionally!