What a gorgeous setting and incredible weather this last weekend. (Sept. 14 & 15) This has to be the best show for literally "catering" to their vendors! There was a whole shop front just for us to go to to get drinks, snacks, food....and dinner was catered!!! Imagine that!!!
The friendliest crowd ever...ok, here is the down side, small turn out. Erin and I (my daughter) did fabulous because we have prices for everyone; a few exhibitors left Saturday. Not everyone is there for a 1200.00 painting...we were constant, very few people walked by us without looking. Our jewelry is very different, we are NOT bored housewives stringing beads together!!! Even other jewelers didn't do as well as we did. We were packing up and people were coming back to grab something they saw!
We found out that another very popular festival changed its weekend to the same one...maybe that was it. But....when was the last time you went to a show with this view, breezes off the river, 70 degree weather and endless coffee! Most relaxing show we've ever been to!
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Thanks for this info, Kathleen and Lynn. It seems like these small events can return nice profits, if the "right" people come. Good for you.
We were there, too, also doing jewelry. This is our 2nd year, and we doubled last year's sales, even though there was a very high percentage of jewelry artisans there. There were also a huge number of cash awards. I don't recall the details because I didn't win anything, but they ranged from $100 awards of merit to above $600. We really enjoy this show, the setting, everything.
We were in Rising Sun, Indiana, right on the Riverfront of the Ohio River.
From their site: “Rising Sun’s Historic Downtown Program is a Member of the National Historic Trust Main Street Center and an award-winning member of the Indiana Main Street Association. The governor of Indiana has awarded Rising Sun the prestigious Governors Arts Award. The Indiana Main Street Program awarded Historic Downtown the Innovation Award for its “Arts as Education” concept, and the Southern Indiana Rural Development Projects Inc. awarded the City of Rising Sun with the Southern Indiana Community Legacy Award.”
This was our first year at the festival but we were surrounded by folks who were veterans of the show!! We will go again. There was about 70 exhibitors, as I mentioned, number s were down due to a conflict with another festival that took a good amount away.
I really do believe that having something for all “pocketbooks” works for us. A woman who bought a $5.00 item came back the following day and spent $40.00. Unlike others who don’t really engage the public, my daughter and I do…a lot! We chat away like old friends whether they buy or not. We have heard from customers “you two are such fun we had to come back”. Maybe it’s the daft Irish redheaded Mum and daughter team that gets along grand that works….who knows. Even bad shows and “rude public” haven’t knocked us down!! :-D
Lynn and Erin:
Wow! Wish I had been there. What a beautiful setting.
Tell me more. Where is this show held? What state? City? who puts it together? Have you done it before? How many exhibitors?
You think you did well because of your wide price points? and paying attention to the visitors? Good job.
I have been watching that show for awhile online. It seems like it should be such a good show, and that the people who put it on are trying really hard. I had found an artist who did it and he said the area just didn't have the market for a show like that. It would be a few hours away and I would have to leave some of my inventory at home due to the fact some of it does have beads that I purchased which are not allowed, so I just keep putting it off.