Craft Shows- how to find them and where to start

[Former_Member]

Ok, what's the best way to find shows? Are festivals good too?

I plan on doing my first show in October, but I am super nervous... should I be? Can you guys tell me how your first show went?

As you can see I have alot of questions, lol. I'm just trying to figure out how to get my name out there. Kinda don't know which way to go or where to start.

Can someone help me, thanks! ;)

[yarndeb]

Lots of good info in the discussion in this team.
Check to see if there is a local team for your area, also.

Good luck! & have fun.

[Former_Member]

Thank you! ;)

[GLPateDesigns]

I find a lot of shows with google searches. look for craft shows by your state, county, town. Lots of churches and schools do craft shows - especially near the holidays. Check the websites of nearby towns for their events. Also, community groups like Lions Club, Rotary, etc. often do fundraising craft shows. There are websites like Festival Net that have festivals listed. And once you get to a show, talk to your neighbor vendors - ask about shows that they have been to in the area. The more you network the more you learn. Also, try to think about your target audience - do you want family type events where their are young families with kids, or are you looking for older, retired folks - a lot depends on what you are selling.

[LizArti]

My first show was 2 years ago. A friend suggested that we do it together and it went really well. The booth fee was 1/2 of $125 and I grossed $410. I had a good time and it made me feel good to know that people appreciated my work.

We did a lot of planning and set up the booth ahead of time to work out the kinks.

Here's a pic of our booth:
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=539263939468678&set=pb.304714096256998.-2207520000.139373307...

My hats were down the middle, Ulla's sweaters hung on the side. It worked out perfectly!

What exactly are you nervous about?

[OutOfTheWoodsUSA]

Maybe some of the things in this post will help.
https://www.etsy.com/teams/7722/discussions/discuss/13912260/page/2

[LuluDeuxMillinery]

I second finding a local team--we have a huge local team where I live and I'm always hearing about shows through other team members. Also check the local free papers for listings, craft/fabric store community bulletin boards if they have them, etc.

[Former_Member]

I did some google searches and found a few going on this year. Personally, I am a little hesitant of shows asking more than $60 to rent a spot (mainly because I am fairly new and I am the only one at the booth). With higher prices, I'm sure that it means higher volume in foot traffic. My own down fall I guess, but until I can figure out how to get another helper, I stick yo my smaller craft fairs. :)

[Former_Member]

Thanks so much guys! I'm just nervous about the amount of things to have out. Thanks for the shop pic... helps alot. This is gonna be very interesting lol
And yes Julie... I am not gonna pay too much for a show. I am gonna get my name out there a lil more for that.

[Former_Member]

Check your local newspaper calendars, church groups and schools. There are websites dedicated to craft shows but you usually have to buy a membership. If you plan to do a lot of shows and expand out of your area these sites are very helpful.

[Former_Member]

Don't forget to check your local Chamber of Commerce. A lot of them have a big list of everything that's going on in the county for the entire year. And check the neighboring counties, as well. I find a lot of little shows this way. I prefer "little" shows, they're cheaper, and sometimes I can actually find shows near my home which don't require a hotel bill and food in a restaurant. I "do" shows with another girlfriend and we always share expenses, which is great because it's only half of what I would have to pay if I were doing things alone. But still prefer the cheaper shows. I did my best ever at a show in a small church last November and I only paid $15 for the table space. Not only that, they completely unloaded my car and put all my tubs of inventory on top of the table. They even provided the tables. And at the end of the day, they carried everything out to my car. I didn't have to do a thing -- just pack and unpack at home, and unpack and pack my tubs at the end of the day. They did all the heavy lifting, and it was wonderful. I'll definitely do that one again.

[PlaynwithScraps]

I learned to avoid shows that have a lot of direct sale vendors ( Pampered Chef, Scentcey, etc). Unfortunately most of the smaller shows where I live are filled with these types of vendors.

[Former_Member]

IF you are looking for events for the month of October, you'll want to start soon. Fairs and festival release their Fall schedule applications in March, April at the latest.

Try to Google your home state, with the words, juried craft fair" or artisan festival.

Sometimes your local Chamber of Commerce will also have a list of small venues locally.
If your local Farmers Market is well support and attended, you may to get your "show" feet wet doing one or two to see if it suits you.

Good Luck.

[RenaissanceSupply]

craftlister.net or .com. i forget which...
i have found some good stuff there.
unfortunately with most small shows you get what you pay for.
inexpensive shows are usually cheap because they do not heavily promote or have heavy traffic.
this is not always the case but often is.
i avoid school & church fairs because they are heavy on looky loos in my area.
i would never do a flea market either.

[Former_Member]

Thank you guys for all of the suggestion/ ideas! ;)