What else can go wrong?

[Former_Member]

Have you felt this way before a craft show? Have you had unexpected disasters when getting ready? How did you fix it?

Today, I got my banner and it has some cartoon hat in the upper left hand corner. My banner is a photo of white tulips. I have no idea how it got there but I think I can carefully trim it. So now I'm thinking what else can go wrong?

[SomeKindOfPretty]

The best thing I have learned is just to be flexible and have plenty of options. I have learned that if something doesn't look right or if something breaks (especially the day of) to always have a back up plan, especially when it comes to displays. Make sure that you displays can be somewhat versatile.

[LizArti]

Take a photo before you trim it off, so you can show whoever made it for you. They owe you another one; unless it was somehow your mistake?

Can you cover it up with something? Tape, magic marker, decoupage some tulip pics over it?

Things ALWAYS go wrong. SNAFUs are a way of life!

Catheryn has good advise - stay flexible. Keep moving forward.

Good luck with your show!

[Former_Member]

Well another vendor could back into your display...that almost happened to me once...when the dude got out of the truck...i said, 'darn it, just a 1/2 inch more and you'd of been buying me a new tent, I could use a new tent' He thought it was funny, his wife not so much lol.

[ElisaAlvarado]

Definitely take a picture of it! They totally owe you a new banner.

[Former_Member]

Never ask what else could go wrong. Always go in with a plan but remember to be flexible as there are too many variables out of your control. Wait time, set up, booth shape/size, neighbor's behavior, the list could go on and on. Keep a positive attitude no matter what's happening. People do notice that and it helps you to keep from being totally discouraged.

[TigersandDragons]

I had my neighbouring vendors spill coffee and coke (2 separate occasions) on my curtains, only one offered to have them cleaned.
Every show is different, all you can do is be as best prepared as you can, and as Chimelle says, expect to have to be flexible and creative at times when problems occur.
I found that I started having less problems with set up when I
a) Requested a particular spot or area; it didn't always happen but I usually end up with a better spot
b) Set up early - if you come last minute and there is a problem with your space, at that point there are usually no other spots to move to, and no way to have your neighbours change their displays.
c) Talk to my neighbours - If the spaces are not well defined and either of us have special needs like wanting an aisle between us, or a rack near to the the edge (or out in the aisle), we can come to an agreement instead of being irritated about how the other person set up their booth, and is affecting traffic flow to ours.

[Former_Member]

Agree about coming early if you aren't given a teired set up time, you don't want get there and find your 10x10 space encroached upon by neighbors and you only now have 9x9.

[Former_Member]

Yes, I have learned to go early so that my fiber and cloth products aren't in the line of smoke by the pulled pork sandwich vendor. Plus my family doesn't eat pork so it would have been so gross for us. We aren't Jewish, we are real farmers who know the industry.

[Former_Member]

As well as you may tie down your canopy, in Idaho its not uncommon to have a Micro burst rip it from the earth and toss it into the river......watching it blow down stream isn't a good picture either.

"Show business" ain't for Sissy's!