Finding fresh and new ideas to attract the public to your festival is a continual challenge. I just came across these two articles, a lot of food for thought:

  1. From the Toronto Outdoor Art Exhibition -- how about this?
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    Beer & Art: The Perfect Pair
    Catchy subject line isn't it? You are perpetually working to attract people to attend your festival. I got this email from the Toronto Outdoor Art Exhibition recently and it is full of promotional ideas to bring those patrons to your show:
  2. Or how about this one from the Park City, Utah's, Kimball Arts Festival?

    Win a Park City Kimball Arts Festival VIP Prize Package!

    ... The VIP prize package includes a 2-night hotel stay in Park City at The DoubleTree by Hilton, parking at China Bridge passes, 2 lawn seat tickets to the San Francisco Gay Men's Chorus concert at the Snow Park Amphitheatre at Deer Valley Resort on Aug. 6, and 2 VIP Park City Kimball Arts Festival passes!

    Enter your email to get started for your chance to win. Good luck! ...

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Comments

  • One of my rules, beer and music = I stay away from the show.
  • When you're at a show and the Beer and Popcorn stands are making more money than you... it's time to move on baby!!!!

  • Really sounds like fun at Des Moines. I don't like drunks any better than anyone else, but alcohol does loosen people up and their pocket books too ... 

    AND Barry -- I did a podcast about artists going into Canada to do art fairs with the folks from Toronto and some American artists with all the details on how to do it. It sounds pretty simple and that is a fabulous market. Download the podcast right here and maybe we'll both be there next year: Artists Off to Canada for Fun and Profit

  • Here's a promo video of that Toronto show. https://vimeo.com/225301904. 340 artists. hmm.....

  • Connie, that promo was impressive. I particularly liked the insight into setting up a booth and how hard we work. I'd like to do that show. Getting into Canada and especially getting back into the US with artwork has to be a lot harder than it was when I would drive through Canada on the way to West Springfield Mass when the ACC show was there, years ago. I wonder if anyone here has recent experience doing that?

    I've hardly ever gotten any porn emails. It wouldn't matter though because it would go right to my spam filter. Could you imagine getting porn phone calls? That would put me over the edge. It's bad enough getting that obligatory once a week threat from the fake IRS that they are going to sue me for none payment of taxes or any of the other scams that I get on my cell. I dumped my land line 10 years ago. I have a couple of apps that tell me if the phone call is legit before I answer. They usually just say spam or scam. Once I got a notification that said "extortion". Can you believe that?

    Btw, the woman who tried to drive into the show after too many Tito's vodkas was turned away at the entrance. She didn't get to do any damage. I just thought it was a funny story about giving artists free booze. At Des Moines, as Nels commented, they had bloody marys at the VIP tent. Not too many artists knew about that. I was down at the same end as Nels, so, it was easy to access. Plus, after 10:30 only VIP paying customers could get in. It was interesting having a couple of bloody mary's at 10 in the morning. It's not something I usually do.

  • Barry I remember your story about the artist driving her vehicle into the show.  Crazy.

    Down here in south Louisiana, many events include arts, crafts, food, some kind of festival and, of course, beer and on occasion, stronger drinks.  I am not a drinker but even with that said, I understand there are others who do.  It is their choice.  I just prefer shows I do not have it at all because it seems when alcohol is involved it becomes a social hour and they forget the art/craft portion.

  • If you didn't like that promotion from Toronto, you might like today's better -- great marketing. I'd love to visit this show. 

    Welcome to all of you: http://mailchi.mp/torontooutdoorart/time-to-meet-2017-artists-and-j...

  • You are a suspicious guy, aren't you? I so try not to give out my email address. The piles of junk I get every day, but amazingly all that porn from the early days is not appearing. Could that be my age? 

    I still have a landline, same # for 30 years ... it does fill up with robocalls and associated with my business so not anxious to change it, although it isn't listed. Hardly anyone has my cell #. No one except close friends and family has that one. 

  • Enter your email and see if it ultimately costs to enter the contest. Also, see if they are selling your email address to data minors. I'm suspicious. I'm getting at least 2 spam phone calls a day from scammers trying to steal money from me. I never answer and I block them immediately, but, I find it extremely annoying. I'm thinking of changing my cell phone number.

  • oh well ... maybe they will just drink the beer, I thought it was an interesting approach, but what do I know?

    On the other hand, what do you think about the Kimball approach? Isn't that a nice outreach that a lot of shows could do without a ton of work.

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