Three days of great weather sure does make it nice! While sales were definitely down from last year, we still did fine. The promoters do everything possible to make this a great event for the artists. We had a few negatives, but they were ALL due to inconsiderate exhibitors. Overall though, everyone was great! Load in/out was a breeze.
I did address buy/sell with the promoters. They adamantly stated that they were all first time exhibitors that would not be allowed back in unless they were in the separate, commercial section at triple the cost. There are many great artists representing a broad variety of art/craft.
This show has a big-name concert on Friday night every year. Last year was 3 Dog Night, this year was Ronnie Milsap. I don't know of another show that brings in a headliner to draw crowds like this. The venue is excellent.
I know that there are artists (mostly 2D) that did not do well. The promoter cares and wants feedback. Lori climbed on our tailgate after we were loaded, sat with us for 20 minutes and asked "What can we do better next year"! This is a rare event, and we love it.
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Oh... and by the way, when I said I sucked it up and and returned Sunday, but packed up as quickly as possible, that was at the end of the day... not first thing in the morning.
I wish I had experienced the same welcomed by engaged promotors feeling that you say you did. I didnt hear anyone on my end expressing those feelings. I have never even considered leaving a show early before, and I do about 30 shows a year.
I did get some cigar smoke down my way from attendees who had likely been upwind at the cigar barrel stand.
But almost nothing will keep me from sticking out an event. Your application is generally a contract. That means no taking your toys and going home early from a scheduled play date. Short of a weather called event, or a family emergency, exhibitors who pack up early at an event are surrendering. You paid for the space and signed a contract that usually says you can't bail early regardless of your sales results or otherwise. I believe the Seafood Festival specified a non-smoking event. I would like to think that applied to attendees, in addition to the exhibitors. I have to imagine the cigar guy wanted to demonstrate his product, but this wasn't the place to do that with cigars. As an ex-smoker, I sympathize with you. I smoked for 20 years, but found it hard to quit. Eventually I did, but now I know how irritating the habit must have been to my non-smoking friends
Becky, I have taken a look at your booth photo in your profile. While I did not see your booth at the festival, as a highly successful handmade jewelry partnership, I can share our experience. Your stuff is lovely, and you are very talented. One of the challenges you face in certain types of shows (and 'festivals' would qualify) is that you seem to have limited your buying audience to folks that want 'statement' pieces. If your actual offerings mirror your booth shot, perhaps you could consider some 'bread and butter' offerings to appeal to a wider clientele. My wife crafts beautiful pendants and the like, this is her passion, as well as fine art pieces (a $500 necklace went home from the Seafood festival). Our livelihood is financed by more universally attractive earring selections though. If we depended upon only the 'fine art' component, we would be very hungry on a regular basis. Please don't be offended, not my intent.
I agree that there was some confusion on the closing time - although I read the correct hours and had them posted on my calendar 11 months ago. So sorry that your experience was not a positive one, but I can assure you that you were in the minority. There were easily a half dozen artists that I personally recommended the show to and they all had positive experiences. I do, however, completely understand and agree that the cigar smoking is offensive and unwelcome!
When I read your first posting on this show, Alan Anderson, I was thinking how could my viewpoint be so extremely different on this show. Actually, I think it may have been your 2014 review of this festival that prompted my application this year. I taught school in MD for 25 yrs, moved away 12 yrs ago, and was happy for the opportunity to return. I can't say I felt warmly welcomed when I checked in. The venue is in a pretty area and set up was easy enough, and parking was close enough to be comfortable. I don't think you mentioned the people picketing the show... walking around the perimeter with signs that proclaimed the show owner was a criminal offender. There were not a lot of people in attendance, and this could certainly have contributed to that. It did not seem to be a predominately arts-supportive crowd; many attendees seemed as though they would be happier shopping at Walmart.
I had absolutely wonderful artists around me, and for that I felt very grateful. The portapotties were kept clean, and there were a lot of them, and they seemed to me to be positioned in a central location, so I have no complaints about that.
One of the participants, who was positioned across from me and about 30 feet away, was selling oak barrels that you could fill with alcohol and soak cigars in. He smoked cigars all day Friday. I have bad allergies and as a result had a close to incapacitating headache all day... show ran to 8pm that day. I would never have applied to that show had I known such a participant was in the realm of possibilities. I called the promotor, and she said she would come down there and check it out, but she never did. I emailed them Fri night from my hotel and was told I could arrive early and move to another space on Saturday. Great... that would take me approx 3 hours, but I arrived early Sat to move. I was told by a volunteer that the cigar smoker had been asked Friday evening not to smoke... so I didn't move. Soon after he arrived Sat morning, the cigar smoking began. I texted the promotor to find out what was going on but never got a response, so I talked with the cigar guy and told him the allergy/headache/arrived early to move but was told he was asked not to smoke scenario. He kindly put it out and told me no one ever spoke to him. Since he was also selling cigars, others continued to smoke. Neither of the promotors ever did respond to me about this, and one of them never spoke back when I thanked him on two occasions for a complimentary snack and notebook he dropped off. It was a very strange atmosphere, aside from my wonderful neighbors. I felt like I was trapped in a Seinfeld episode. One of my neighbors said he would need 8 days for the show to be profitable. My sales were bad enough that I wanted to pack up Saturday night, and I may have had the park had lighting. I had my own power source, but it would have been too difficult with no park lighting. Several did pack up and leave Saturday night/Sunday morning. Oh, and yes... the Saturday hours were listed as being 10am to 9pm. When my neighbor started packing up at 8pm, I kiddingly asked, "Can't take it anymore?" She is the one who told me the hours were listed incorrectly. Otherwise, none of us would have known. The promotors never let us know. Many didn't bring lights and sunset was at 8:08 that night.
I sucked it up and returned Sunday but I did pack up as quickly as possible Sunday. We were told we could not bring vehicles into the park until 6:45, which at that point felt like sheer torture. So all 103 pounds of me dollied my 240 pounds of tent weights and the rest of my stuff to the car. I would not return if the space and hotel were complimentary.
Great recap, Alan...thanks!
Yes, many 2-d artists took a serious beating. If it had not been for bringing my soy candle craft line to the event, I would have sold ZERO. As it was, I sold enough to to cover booth, tolls, meals and part of my mileage.
I had a great spot and the crowds were adequate to large on Saturday and Sunday. What used to sell in years past just didn't this year. I have lots of compliments and gave away lots of business cards. Just no sales where can you get an original framed painting for under $100.00. Alan even brought up a favorite customer while I was working with another couple to extol the virtues of my work ( (thanks for the try Alan). The work she purchased was beautiful BTW,,,). I don't think it was helpful to have a last minute exhibitor added to the mix who got located right across the aisle from me selling 10$ prints that weren't even matted, just double stick taped to cardboard and in a cellophane bag. I am assuming that they were his prints to give the benefit of the doubt.
Alan did you detail the buffoonery with the person who flooded your area and damaged the work of a 2-d artist's spouse who had it packed and unfortunately in the way of the water? They reported some pretty extensive damages in popped frames, etc. I was glad to see that no vendors were included in the artist/artisan mix this time. I was really disappointed in my lack of art sales. But this seems to be a pattern this year compared to years past. I've had 3 or 4 shows now where I sold at least reasonably well in years past that absolutely didn't sell well this year. No reason or rhyme.
We exhibited with Wayne a number of times in Hilton Head, SC in the Coastal Discovery Museum's show, Art Market at Historic Honey Horn.
The seafood festival is not exactly Wayne's price point ;) - yes, his work is a fantastic.
One of my favorite jewelers lives in Havre de Grace. He's Wayne Werner, and his work is amazing. He might not have exhibited in the seafood festival.