You know that a town is committed to a show's longevity when you arrive at your booth space for setup and see your booth number stenciled permanently on the curb.
But after two days, only eight buyers, and under $1000 gross to show for it, I can't help wondering if the locals look at it the same way.
Or maybe, given the town's decided "back to the Sixties" vibe (think Key West, but without the bar scene, cross-dressers, and roosters), folks who attended were looking for 1960s prices, too.
Whatever the case, this show really has me torn: I loved the laid-back atmosphere, beautiful scenery, Old Florida architecture, fun restaurants, and expansive waterfront views. A week's vacation here would be heaven on earth. But, at least this year, it was challenging to make money at this show.
The event has an impressive history--next year's event will be its 50th. Although the area surrounding Cedar Key is largely agricultural, the town itself is a tourist mecca; Gainesville (home of the U of Florida) is a straight-shot 70 minutes away, and I spoke with folks who'd come from far-flung environs like Jacksonville (2.5 hours) and Baton Rouge, LA (9 hours). And as befitting its long history as an artist colony, the artist amenities are excellent, with breakfasts both days, an awards dinner Saturday night, active and helpful boothsitters, and some really fine art. In an effort to engage the community, attendees got sheets filled with "heart stickers", and they were encouraged to slap a sticker under the booth sign of each artist they favored. (Personally, I was tempted to write underneath: "KIDS: Show me your stickers! GROWNUPS: Show me your $100s!" But maybe that's just me.)
The show expanded from about 110 artists to 150 this year, and in this area of relatively low income and low population, that's slicing the potential pie a little thin. The show had a heavy concentration of 2-D artists, which isn't necessarily a bad thing, considering that the area is a painter's paradise. But a very high percentage of the 2-D was photography: at the south end of the show, it seemed like there was a shooter about every third booth.
The weather was sunny and warm on Saturday, and there was a fleeting "buying vibe": I made four quick, small sales in the first hour, and the most of the artists I spoke with at the awards dinner got off to fast starts as well. But although the crowds continued to swarm the show until around 3 PM, there was very little art being carried around after noontime.
Sunday brought cloudy, threatening skies, and although the forecast deluge didn't hit until late afternoon, the crowds never materialized. I'll give immense credit to the show organizers, though, who continually came by with forecast updates and gave us about a two-hour heads-up that they were going to close the show at 4 PM. And then, when the first rumble of thunder was heard at 3:30, they quickly let us know we could start packing immediately.
The storm hit with a vengeance about 4 PM, and the half hour of packing enabled nearly everyone to get their art under shelter, or into their vehicle, before the deluge. Most of us knocked down our tents during lulls in the action; nearly everyone was on the road by 6 or 6:30.
The sporadic nature of load-out gave me lots of time to survey the participants, and sad to say, very few did well (though, as always, there were a couple of exceptions).
However, this show has a long history of support from the town, locals, and tourists alike, so there's a possibility that 2013 represented a one-year blip on the radar.
I hope the director (new this year) reconsiders the possibility of enlarging the show even more next year and ratchets it back to 110 artists, which would go a long way toward cleaning out the buy/sell that snuck in this year and give those remaining a chance at a few more sales. In addition, next year's show (scheduled for April 12-13, 2014) falls on the weekend before Easter, not the weekend after--meaning that there will be lots more snowbirds and tourists filling the Cedar Key hotels. No matter how much the locals love the show, we artists could use a little outside help to fill the coffers.
You will instantly feel the warm and friendly atmosphere that makes Lathrup Village such a joy for visitors and residents alike. This 10th Annual craft festival is a favorite annual event, bring contemporary crafts from more than 30 crafters exhibiting and selling their work in tree-lined park turned outdoor gallery for the day. FREE PARKING.
September 14 & 15
and is non-refundable. 
June 22 & 23
