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Have a show across from a beach next weekend. First outdoor show with a tent. I have been reading some of the horror stories of artists returning for their second day only to find a storm or heavy wind ripped through while they slept and now everything is in shambles. My question is, if you are informed and keep abreast of the weather, and know that the night might bring something bad, have any of you ever closed up completely, taking everything with you, including your tent, and just set up lock stock and barrel the next morning? It seems that as much work as that might be, wouldn't it make sense to do that instead of leaving it all to chance?

Also, by the same token, if the morning seemed grand but now it's noon, and you begin to hear or see rumblings that a storm is brewing, have any of you closed down and taken everything away with you in the middle of the day?

I realize that there isn't always time to do this, but it also seems that sometimes there is actually enough time to get it all together and get the heck out of there, including your tent - EZ Up or not.

I have heard that some artists completely lower their tents at night as much as they can, dropping certain things to the ground to lessen the danger of a sudden rain storm or wind gust might incur. Do any of you do this?

I have had too many shows turn around on Sunday afternoon to break down early because of poor sales.  It bugs the hell out of me when other people do that as well.  I think it is incredibly disruptive to the people who are staying and maybe trying to eke out some sort of profit from a bad show.

However, there are valid reasons to break down early.  My general standard is if I feel my work or I am in danger.  That is a call that each person has to make for themselves.  And weather being what weather is, sometimes we make the wrong one.

I think there are valid reasons to not do a show.  There have been a couple occasions when I wish I had made that decision.  I did make that decision once with Naples National and it was the right one for me.  They had changed from an easy load out to a difficult one.  I did not have any vacation time to take Monday off and it is a point of honor with me that I do not call in sick to work just because I am late getting back from the art show.  My co-workers and boss are very decent about working around my shows and I owe it to them to not take advantage of that.  I found out later that people in my section that year got out around 1AM.  That plus a five hour drive home.  It was the right call.  I did eat the booth fee without complaint.  It was my fault for not reading the show literature sooner.  Actually I think that if we are willing to eat the booth fee and attempt to give as much notice as possible it is a personal call.

What are everyone else's principles?