Setting up for a show

[VictoryWoodShop]

How long does it take you to set up for a show. It takes myself and brother (we do shows together) about 2.50 hours the night before. And we finish up the next morning with 1 more hour to tie up the lose ends.

[WhimsyBits]

Lately it's been taking me 2.5-3 hours. Yesterday took me about 2.5 hours but I'm hoping next weekend will be 2 or less. I took pictures of my booth and hardly sold anything so I can just look at the photo to see where things go which should save me a lot of time.

[NaturelMistik]

I brought almost everything to my show this weekend and set up alone. It took me just under 2.5 hours. It probably would have been around 1.5-2 hours, but when I got there the promoter realized my booth neighbor was using 3 sides (she set up in an outward facing U) and customers would have to walk into my booth to get to her products. Normally I try to work around space issues, but this time I said that would not work, period. So we had to move me to the other side of the room and move the tables and chairs for that booth to my old space. It ended up working out perfect as I was in a higher traffic area. I can do it in under 1.5 hours, but I really have to move and tend to get a bit grumpy during the process.

[Former_Member]

It takes me about 1 1/2 to 2 hours to set up. About 1 to tear down. My hubby helps me, but I am on my own during the shows.

[TigersandDragons]

It totally depends on the size of the booth ( a 6 foot table versus a full 10x10 corner booth), the distance for parking/loading and ease (load in can suck up a bunch of time), whether the show is indoor or outdoor, and how complex I decide my set up will be.

If I spend time before the show, tagging and pricing stock and pre-pinning my jewellery displays, then I need less set up time at the show.

So an hour would be the minimum for a small space, when I've got everything pre-pinned, priced and organized, with an easy load in. 4-6 hours would be the maximum.

At a show two years ago I had to wait in line for an hour just to be able to drive in and unload! It was winter and the load in was in basement level of the complex, only about 4-5 vehicles at a time could drive in at a time and it really wasn't feasible to pull my stock and displays through the snow and down a very sharp icy ramp.

[FayeValentineJewelry]

I think I average about 2 to 2 1/2 hours. I always take a bit of time to tweak my arrangement/sections on my table each time though.

[PattenCreations]

Depends on what type of show, how big the space is, etc.

Am doing one this next weekend and will start set up at 3 when they let us get in and hope to be out of there with the bulk set up by 5 (we have to move vehicles to a remote location at that point as there is a playoff football game in the stadium that night). However, I am betting I'll be there another hour after that and then final touches in the 45 minutes before the show starts that we must be there.

[PJCRAFTSWORLD]

It takes us 2-2 1/2 hours to setup an outdoor tent, equipment, and product. I had it down to just under 2 hours until I hurt my shoulder (osteoarthritis) and now I can't lift anything so hubby has to do all the heavy work and lifting.

I'm beginning to run into show promoters that only want to give you 90 minutes prior to a show for setup and then expect you to be ready.

Then there are the early bird customers who think this is a garage sale and have to be there before everybody else and will actually take stuff out of your box to look at but not purchase slowing you down even more.

[Former_Member]

i can get everthing set up in just under 2 hours. i generally only do indoor shows and only have an 8 foot table to deal with.

[stringnstone]

takes 2 of us about 3.5 hrs for a 10x20 tent site and about 2.5 hrs for a 10x10 tent site. We are not doing any indoor shows this year and they always depended on the space,etc.

[CrystalFoxTreasures]

It depends on the show. So far I have done only indoor shows. I do a dry run a few days before the show and draw it out so I know where everything goes. The night before I put as much of my product in/on the display pieces and possible and pack everything up so I can just load the car in the morning and go. When I get to the venue, it usually takes me about 45 minutes to an hour to set up. Tear down takes about the same amount of time.

[alwayzwithlove]

2 hours sounds about right.

[LittleMissHaywire]

I've been trying out some new displays that allow me to keep my jewelry in place, so when I get to the venue, I can just pull out the display, do a little tweaking and it's ready to go. Still takes me a over an hour to set up though. I did it in about an hour and 15 minutes at my last show but it was indoors and just 1 8-foot table space. If it's outdoors and I have set up a tent and have more table space, it's closer to 2 hours.

[Former_Member]

Yea, I would say about 2 hours for set up, but 30 mins or less for take down. When I'm ready to go I am ready to go. I always get a burst of energy to get home and count my money, LOL.

[Plantcycled]

It takes me about an hour typically, maybe an 1 hr and a half when I am by myself, depending on what my display is.

[TremoughGlass]

Most of the markets that I do the organisers provide a gazebo as well as a pitch space which really cuts down on set up times. When I take my own canopy it always takes longer.

It used to take me about 2 hours to get everything up and running the way I wanted it. Now I can set up in just over an hour by myself. I used to become quite anxious if I wasn't ready on the dot for opening time. But now I am pretty chilled about it and usually am set up with half an hour to spare for a coffee and donut :)

[CarolBradleyDesigns]

At the weekly market I do, I can set up within an hour. I pull up right at my space, unload, then move my car about a block away. I use a tent, 3 tables and only one wall (a shade cloth at the back attached with bungees). Most everything is already in trays, so I just set out the trays and straighten. Earrings are already on two spinner racks. I have to put about 30 earrings on other stands while setting up. I have 15 busts that I put jewelry on at the show, but sometimes I leave the necklaces on from show to show.

I love it when I can set up for a show the night before. Then I can put up side walls and curtains!

[NaturelMistik]

Oops, I was only thinking of indoor shows in my previous post. When doing outdoor shows with the tent and weights and stuff, add an hour.

[Pennyjanedesigns]

I like to have about an hour to set up - but then most of my events have tables and or a market stall provided. I try to keep a basic set up in mind and alter it to suit the space available. It's the sort of thing I could spend hours at though and i continue to tweak it throughout the day! Here's a piccy....

https://www.facebook.com/192153117479243/photos/pb.192153117479243.-2207520000.1414483280./862850397...

[stringnstone]

I need to amend my previous post... for a farmers' market we set up it an hour because everything is already in or on displays from the previous market. Last Sat it took about 1 1/2 hrs ... setting out the soaps is what takes the most time making sure I have some of everything. These time frames are for small shows.