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Hi Guys, Yesterday was Mother's Day and my kids chipped in to give me money to finally get one of those Hollywood padded green show chairs that everyone who has done shows for a while has. I have been sitting on a folding stool (mostly standing-really) and I thought I should finally trade up.The ones on Amazon are 400 dollars and I know there are other options. I have read an older review -so I don't want to beat a dead horse but if you know a better price...I would appreciate it.

Anyone here ever done the Stevens Point Festival of Arts?

Thanks in advance!

This show has always been at the mercy of the springtime weather, being held the weekend before the Kentucky Derby. Some years the weather is balmy, sunny, and warm; sometimes cool and damp, sometime cold with frost on the grass in morning and needing space heaters. Sometimes, like this time around it was cool and rainy with the emphasis on rainy. Saturday was rainy most of the day with deserted aisles except for a few moments when the rain and drizzle stopped. Sunday had about half a day without rain and the customers came out. At the end of the day, it stopped raining, the sun came out, and we were able to clear out without getting rained on. My sales were proportional to the amount of time when it didn't rain, and all I did was break even. Regardless, I'll try it again as this is normally one of my better shows and the weather is better more often than not.

The show is a long standing one, and one which I've done for over twenty years. it's put on by a neighborhood association staffed by volunteers who have the organization of the show down pretty well. It was only within the last couple of years that the show has gone to ZAPP, as it was by word of mouth before. It started off with slide entries, and after slide projectors became hard to locate, they used print submissions for several years. Eventually, the hassle of wading through all the paper apps was too much and they signed with ZAPP.

Set up is on a Friday, starting at noon although several were already set up by that time. There are four lines of booths in the show for a bit over 200 artists. Two rows face each other across a narrow service road paralleled to a boulevard. One of those rows is on a sidewalk with about one foot of your booth in front of the sidewalk with a dropoff of several inches. Shim blocks are almost a universal requirement at this show. These sidewalk booths stay relatively dry during rain, but there is little storage room behind you unless there is an open retaining wall behind you. Several spots have walkways between them for resident's front door sidewalks, and you can stash some things there, space permitting. This section has issues with limited access for some patrons as there is a stone curb to step up on, and a sloping grassy strip that turns to mud quickly with foot traffic.

Two rows of booths are on grass, on a grassy median that is about 30 feet wide that separates the service road from the boulevard. These spaces are easier to access, and in most cases a wheel chair could be pushed into the booth space. However, set up can be a hassle as most of these spaces are on a horizontal incline side to side as the street runs downhill. In addition the median has a crown, so you are contending with a tilt in two axes. I use 2x8x10' boards to mount the tent legs on and shim like crazy. facing the rear of the tent, my right side front tent leg has to be shimmed up about 6 inches to be level front to back. The left side of the tent has to jump over a pile of mulch next to a tree, and since that side of the space is even lower, it needs almost ten inches of shimming to be level with the back and the other side. 

The grassy median has a row of tents on the other side and the crown is even more pronounced over there with well over a foot drop off from the middle to the street. I find it expedient to get there early, set up the booth, and put up a closed in extension to the booth that is about 3 1/2 deep so I can have a place to sit behind the booth, stash tubs, and stay dry in case of rain. If I don't show up early to claim the space, neighbors behind me will frequently crowd in as far as possible to avoid the slope in front of their space. In the past when I showed up later, I've had less than a foot of space behind me as the neighbors move backwards in search of level ground. Far easier to get there early, set up, and have the space already occupied.

The row across the boulevard is much more level, and on a wider sidewalk, but has the issue of too much room between the facing two rows so people tend to walk further out and not get as close. I've often wondered why the show doesn't just move everything into the wider street as the room is enough, although that would make traffic tougher at set up and tear down.

The show had excellent musicians that could clearly be heard but not too loud around most of the tents. A nice feature for the artists on Friday set up was dollar brats and $2 draft beer after 6:00 PM. Port-a-Pots are plentiful and kept clean, This year the washing stations were replaced by hand sanitizer stations which I supposed cut down on paper towel waste. I still prefer soap and water, but those ran out in past years.

The weather impacted the show badly this year, and that's just the roll of the dice in this business. Show times were 10-6 both days, and I feel that ending at 5 on Sunday is a better bet. Normally everyone waits until 6 before you start hearing the sound of metal pipes hitting the pavement, but this year there were enough disgruntled artists that the sound of tubular bells started around 5:30 and by 5:45 you started seeing artists dollying boxes out of the show. 

September 17 & 18

CenterFest is a competitive, juried festival attracting high-quality fine art and fine crafts.  In its 42nd year, CenterFest is the longest running outdoor juried arts festival in North Carolina. Located in Durham's lively downtown district, the event is a favorite amount visual artists, performing artists and visitors. 

• Easy load in/load out, free parking, 24 hour security
• Discounted rates at sponsor hotel
• 1 complimentary breakfast and lunch per booth per day
• Merit awards totaling $2,500
• Artists and images listed and linked on CenterFest website for 11 months
• Friendly and supportive staff, booth sitting
• Limited to 150 Artists

From my mailbox:

Hi Connie,
I work on the arts festivals for _____ ____ on ___ _____.  We have a show in the fall, where we try to attract more fine artists, and we provide judging and cash awards.  We have one unique very talented artist who has attended for the last several years.  She has won the top prize every year for the past several years.  Some of our return artists have begun grumbling that she always wins, and propose that there should be a “time out” policy.  I think this is probably a good idea, but don’t know how to phrase it. 

Do you have any suggestions, or know of other shows that have this policy that we could refer to?  The show is in September but would like to begin to advertise it now.  Thanks for any help!

What do you think? Do you have any suggestions for this show director?

Last weekend we were in Huntsville, Alabama for Panoply, which is a community festival of the arts.  There are three music stages,  food vendors, arts activities for the kids, and an Arts Marketplace.  The venue is Big Spring International Park in downtown Huntsville.  The Arts Marketplace is set up along a sidewalk the surrounds a small lake and on the street that runs between the park and a performing arts center. If your booth is on the street you can drive right up to your spot and unload.  If you are somewhere in the park itself you have to dolly.  We were the first booth inside one of two entrances on the street. 

Since we are new at this, we had not done this show before but had heard good things about it from other artists.  Huntsville's main industry is aerospace with a large military facility, Redstone Arsenal, located there. So we anticipated patrons with resources that might want to buy some great art.  We were not disappointed. 

The show has long hours: 5pm-9pm on Friday, 8:45am - 9pm Saturday, Noon-7pm Sunday. Some artists set up Thursday while the remainder set up on Friday based on an on line scheduling system which was very efficient. Pre-show communication was very thorough so there were no unanswered questions before we arrived. Our set up was on Friday morning which went very smoothly.  Two music stages were active during our set up.  One was an orchestra playing classical music.  The other was a band playing classic rock.  When one group finished a piece, the other group would play so as not to compete with each other.  Throughout the weekend, the music was quite good and not too loud as to be annoying.

We finished in time to check in to the motel and grab a quick early dinner.  We were back at our booth at 4:30 for the 5pm opening.  It was at that point we noticed that thunder had replaced the strains of Beethoven and The Doors we had enjoyed earlier. Just before opening time the skies let loose with some beautiful cloud to cloud lightening.  It occurred to me that sitting in a tent with metal poles might not be the best place to be at that moment.  The show did not open and everyone went home at 6:30pm.

Saturday morning was warm and humid, but no rain.  The forecast was for rain later in the day but that did not keep the crowds away. The first person in our booth was a gentleman that seemed very interested in our work.  We had a long discussion about process and materials and we hoped he was a potential buyer once he made his rounds through the show.  It turned out he was the judge and we won a Merit Award! We had a good sales day Saturday.  Most of what sold was from our print bin and a lot of 5x7 cards.  The day was made by one buyer who could not decide between two of our larger pieces and ultimately bought both of them.  That was the only big sale we made all weekend. We had some great sales momentum going by late afternoon.  I was on my way back from the truck on a restocking mission when the tornado sirens went off. If you want to see a place clear out in a hurry, set off a tornado siren two days after the fifth anniversary of the worst tornado outbreak in state history. A quick check of the radar showed the weather threat to be miles away to the North. Nevertheless, the park was evacuated.  We were told the park would re-open 30 minutes after the warning expired.  Several artists around us did not return expecting the crowd would not return either.  They were wrong.  As soon as the gates re-opened at 6pm we had folks back in our booth.  We did steady business until 9pm.  

Sunday was another warm, humid day with rain in the forecast.  We were lucky in that the approaching storms broke up and went around us.  We had a steady sales day with people in our booth right up to closing time. Break down was simple for us as we could drive right next to our booth to load.

Panoply is a beloved community event.  We had the pleasure of meeting many of the vast cast of volunteers that work tirelessly to put this event on in support of Arts Huntsville. It was very well organized and staff was always available if you needed them.  The quality of the art varied widely from birds made from soda cans to really wonderful paintings.  We saw a lot of art walking by our booth to new homes both big and small.  Many of the artists that do this show have done so for many years and keep coming back. Most of the artists were within 200 miles of Huntsville, but our neighbor was from Michigan and a couple of others had traveled long distances.  There was an artist's hospitality booth with coffee and pastries each morning.  The food vendors offered artists free food or discounts which were listed on the back of our name tags.  The free ice cream cones each afternoon were much appreciated. The only negatives were the long hours and we had to pay for parking ($5.00 per day).  I am sure our sales would have been better if the weather cooperated.  As it was we were pleased with our sales volume.  We were surprised by the interest in our work with Birmingham subject matter.  At any rate we had a great time, met some new friends, saw some old friends, and made a little money.  Not a bad weekend at all. Thanks Huntsville! 

Got home today from Bayou City Spring Festival in Memorial Park, Houston, TX.

I just live 205 miles from the show and I am not sure I should continue doing this show even though it is so close.

Now a little background.... this past weekend was my (I believe) 37th year in a row in the show.  If I lived 206 miles from the show I might just give it up.  My time at the show dates back to the old Westheimer Arts Fest. days.  The show was at deaths door some twenty years or so ago and a young lady came is as the new director with almost no experience.  However, her brain, her personality and her desire to pull this show from the ashes along with her flaming red hear and grit made possible the new birth of westheimer into Bayou City.  She stayed thirteen years and turned the dying show into one of the best in the country... twice a year.  The name of this savior is Lynnette Wallace.  She has been gone from the show for a few years now and both spring and fall have been dying ever since.

To save Bayou City Arts Festival, bring back Lynnette Wallace and any cost necessary ASAP.  Please do the same at The Woodlands Waterway Arts Festival.  She built it perfect and has been gone long enough to see a large decline at the Waterway show as well.  The show is still beautiful but the things that made it good are declining.

It is just that simple.  Make this very necessary change or perhaps both Houston shows will not exist in six more years.  I have watched the huge decline in attendance year after year.  Raising all of the prices for the public as well as such things as trying to make the spring show even more huge and the zillion mile walk to the artist parking will all come together and not be a good thing.

RIP Bayou City.  I will keep coming, selling less each year and continue to check the pulse till there isn't even a faint one.

August 6 & 7
Detroit, Michigan
Presented by Integrity Shows
Deadline: May 15

Application fee: $25; Booth fee: $295-$590

The show is near the entry bridge across from the stunning Scott Fountain.  There is ample parking.  As with other art fairs by Integrity Shows, artists are juried on a three year basis.  If you are accepted by the jury you are assured of acceptance annually and re-jury in the fourth year.  Of course you still need to apply on time and your work has to be relatively the same.  We believe that artists should be able to plan at least a part of their schedule.

A healthy advertising budget along with extensive marketing is sure to bring out art lovers.  We partner with local organizations to support the arts and to increase the shows visibility.  The fair is limited in artists to maximize your opportunity for success.

Melanie Rolfes:  I love to read your show reports – they are always full of useful information.  One of the things in your reports that always baffles me is how you get your booth set up and broken down so quickly.  It takes my wife and me between 5 and 7:30 hours to load in and set up our booth, and 3 to 4 hours to break down and load out.  And that is for a single Trimline, not the double you are setting up.  How you are able to get it done in 1:30 hours and 45 minutes amazes me.  What is your secret?

(Rather than post this comment in response to one of your reviews and hijacking the thread, I thought I would start a new thread, hoping others will chirp in with “tricks of the trade” regarding efficient setup and break down, making for a lively discussion on this topic).

I just checked the site and I couldn't find any write-up for the Downers Grove show, mid-September. Anyone out there done this show? Any comments? It is one of Amy Ardmur's Chicagoland shows. She does so many in that condensed area during the good weather months. Is that a good thing or bad? Is it just too saturated with shows that the buyers are fed up; or, are there so many shows because one can't feed enough to the beast?

I am In the middle of the spring marathon of shows. First marathon for me so as already stated my reviews are a bit shorter and pics not included. Just completed two HAE shows in the DC area. Arlington and Fairfax. I have reviewed Arlington a few times already so if you want more info search here on AFI. Fairfax was a first time event for HAE.

Love love the DC area for sales. Have done Arlington as a single show traveling from Atlanta and well worth it. Was excited to have another show in the area to pair up this time. Both are Saturday morning set ups and both are very easy set ups. What a treat. Both shows are about 125 artists both of the areas have $$$. Both shows had amazing work at the shows. For relatively new shows the communities are lucky to have such amazing work to experience. Both shows are extremely well run. Thank you HAE. You make our life easier.

Arlington (as posted above do a search to find out more info where the show is located) is a Saturday morning set up. The street I am located on is wide. We showed up around 6:30-7 am. Drove up right to the booth. Unloaded and parked in the parking garage (we need 7'2" clearance for our truck) costs $4 a day. There is artists parking but for $4 we have our vehicle right near our booth. The weather was perfect both days. In the 70s. If you were on Washington you were in the sun and warm. If you were on Highlands you had lots of shade and needed a jacket. All was good. The crowds were good. Lots of interest and savvy art buyers. As other artists noticed this show now gets patrons from other parts of DC besides Arlington. It is getting a strong following. This show has been very strong for many of us that have done the show a few times.

I have said in the past I believed this show was a strong contemporary show BUT a good artist friend of mine who does traditional small ink drawings tried the show. When she told me she was going to be there I was a bit worried for her. She killed it!!! One of her best shows. Many artists said they had done better this year than in the past. We had a good show but not as great.

It was wonderful to be around for the week in between the two shows because we were able to do some home visits and close some sales. Making Arlington another great show. If we would have gone straight home to Atlanta it would have been ok. We lined up a couple commissions right from the show. The extra sales in the middle of the week was a bonus.

Load out easy peasy. We had always dollied out but that was dumb. By the time we were walking out our last dolly they were letting vehicles in. This year we took it a little slower and waited about 5 minutes more to bring the truck in. We were off 1.15 minutes after the show closed and we're feeling good.

Fairfax. I will try to give a bit more info but for those who were there please contribute. This show is on the streets in a higher end out door mall. Lots of resteraunts. Very pretty. Suburban area. Suburbia is not my usual market. Went the day before set up on Friday to scope it out. This set up looked easy. In my area there was a parking area behind my booth. We showed up around 7am. You could pull into the Main Street to unload but were able to park right behind my booth and stay put until done. Set up the entire double booth in 1.5 hours. That is when it started raining. Parking was not too far for artists. I have my Fitbit so no issue for me and really it was close parking.

Probably Because of the rain on Satirday morning the crowds were not huge. The rain stopped I think about 11 amish. It was a nice day. I saw others making some smaller sales. Originals only large scale for me and didn't have much interest on Saturday. I chalked it up to being a suburban show. This was not my market. Sunday perfect day. Decent crowds. Nothing for me until around 3pm. The show seemed to change and we had lots of interest. This show worked out with folks shopping as we loaded out. We will be in Reston in a few weeks and will be bringing closed sales.

Load out was perfection for us. We got our vehicle behind the booth at end of show and were out in 45 minutes. Would have been 20 minutes if we weren't talking to patrons.

These two shows together were physically easy to do. Since this is my first art fair marathon I was worried about our lineup of shows. Somethings we did to make this easy peasy for us. We rented a house in Vienna. The town is pretty much in the middle of the two shows, about 7-8 miles from each. Only cost $69 a night, cheap for DC and I was able to bring meals with us. I love to splurge on fancy resteraunts but after a show I just want to go "home" and have a healthy meal. The town we stayed in was on the metro line and the bike path that covers 60+ miles of the DC area. As an artist DC is an amazing area to explore. Most museums are free. Love the "vacation" we can have between shows.

I normally am willing to pay extra to stay close to a show especially if they have a Saturday morning set up. Didn't do that this time. I was comfortable with Arlington and knew we didn't need to stay close. Fairfax I was not so sure.

Here is where my spoiled self comes out. My only real issue with Saturday morning set ups is feeling grungy after set up and working all day and talking to patrons, whatever if I am tired. I have been tired many times. Since we didn't stay on site for Fairfax, after setting up I went to a salon near my booth and had them wash and blow out my hair. Cost me $20 and I had a wonderful salon to freshen up. Made all the difference for my spoiled ass. For future shows with Saturday setups I will be looking into this option versus spending extra $$$ for a hotel on site.

Next two shows in town for me. Another two Saturday morning set ups that won't be as easy:(:(:(:(.

August 19 & 20   

Frankfort, Michigan

From the Chamber of Commerce:

• two days
• beautiful time of year for weather & tourism
• spacious booth spaces:  12x12

There is also fun for the whole family with all the downtown businesses as well as a collector car show 3 blocks away, among many other activities that day and great local food.  You might even want to fit in some salmon fishing! 

LATE APPLICATION FEE: Due to the numerous late applications in years past, we are applying a $25 late application fee for ALL applications received after May 1, 2015.

Website & application:  www.frankfort-elberta.com/index

Contact: Joanne Bartley, fcofc@frankfort-elberta.com 

Phone: (231)352-7251
 

For more information about this tourism mecca: www.frankfort-elberta.com

Here is the award i received at the Birmingham magic City Art Fest last weekend. My wife took the photo and I whited out my face so it wouldn't wrinkle the ribbon...