One of Amdur Productions best shows (in fact, Amy Amdur's initial foray into the art fair business so many years ago) is moving. The popular Port Clinton Art Festival in downtown (and fancy) Highland Park, outside of Chicago, has not been that good for the local retailers. Carolyn Hersch, business development coordinator for the City of Highland Park, said that in past years, artists booths backed up against the curb and blocked a clear view of the retail establishments ... so changes are on the way. Booths back to back down the middle of the street closer to retail and restaurants.
What do you think? A good idea?
Learn more: http://www.chicagotribune.com/suburbs/highland-park/news/ct-hpn-festival-revamp-tl-0806-20150803-story.html
Comments
For those still following the conversation (the show is next weekend, so surely the exhibitors have studied it) the layout is quite different, and it'll be interesting to see how it works. There are now artists on Central, extending west to Green Bay... and the far southeast parking lot has been abandoned for booths that stretch north of Central on First and Second Streets.
This will be my second show ever (Gold Coast in June was the first), and after attending Port Clinton many, many years as a visitor... I'm expecting really good things, as long as the weather doesn't get too muggy... or too rainy. The finalized map is at the Amdur site, for those who are interested.
I doubt there will be quads. Moving the show down off the shopping center seems like a good idea though. I'm sure all the merchants want to be seen. Space behind the booths will be tricky. I'd bet they will make some allowance for this, important for many reasons, least of all if the weather is very hot for shade and some place to put the cooler.
(Geri, it always makes me smile to see you pop up here.)
Using quads would reduce the total number of booth spaces in a given area. Less booths=less booth fees.
Robert, I have never seen her do quads at any of her multitude of shows.
Well she butchered the layout of the Fine Arts Center's show in June. We missed a few booths and didn't make it to some and then we had to cut back past booths we had seen to get to new booths. (I guess poor flow is the best way to describe it)
I still can't figure out where she is putting all 260 artists unless she is moving The Taste as well as the Music stage to the east end of Central Ave and opening up the main part of Central. She is wiping out a bunch of parking lots that the patrons use also.
I am hoping for good artists. The last few years have been pretty much her usual followers and some others thrown in. She does give first time participants a sign for their booth so they are recognized. We need about 50% of the booths with those signs.