Question about craft fairs

[Momofmonsters5]

I decided I wanted to participate in this year's local craft fairs. Info look at you have to pay a fee to a site to see anything. Prices for booths, info about the event. Is this the norm? Why would you have to pay $35 to just get the info, maybe one look and I think it's too expensive? Just curious if others have to pay as well. The website they are using is festivals and fairs . Net. Thanks

[bubba]

Re: Question about craft fairs

I'm sure it's actually $35 to sell. That is about the average price, some are less, a lot are more. There are some craft fairs/bazaars you can set at all day and sell nothing, or maybe a think or two. Then there are some that you are so busy you might run out of things to sell.

[Momofmonsters5]

Re: Question about craft fairs

No it's a site fee to have unlimited access to fairs across the country. When I click the fair the booth prices saw members only ..join now. I'm disappointed.

[Hulamoon]

Re: Question about craft fairs

Do you have someone to pair up with to share expenses?

[Murphy224]

Re: Question about craft fairs

before I would pay $35.00 to a website for access to the craft fairs they say they have listed across the country, I would try other ways to find local craft fairs. Do a google or internet search, contact local towns and city websites chamber of commerce to see what festivals they have coming up, and if you hear of an event of any kind, contact that event and ask if they have vendors and how to become one. In my area local farmers markets (often run by the city) have tables available for rent to sell craft items. The usual cost around here is 10.00 to 15.00 per day for the table. Once you find one or two, ask the other vendors how they find out about the upcoming events.
Good luck to you!

[Cathy F]

Re: Question about craft fairs

Also check you local town papers, that is where we put our ads when looking for vendors and advertising our craft fairs.

[Carlie Wolf]

Re: Question about craft fairs

I wouldn't pay a website for a list of craft fairs. Well unless maybe if they were craft fairs that wholesalers go to but that's not something I'd want to get into anyway. Check your local State too. Locally you often can find Christmas or Spring Craft Fairs. Schools sometimes put them on too. Maybe check your Rotary Clubs or even your town office might be able to tell you. Quilting clubs are also a resource for that and don't forget town pages on FB as they sometimes list them. The ones here run $25; $35 for a l0xl0 space.

[Squeaky]

Re: Question about craft fairs

It's a fee to get the convenience of all their info in one place. I personally think it's a waste if you aren't doing fairs and events full time. If you do your own research it will take more of your own time, so you need to know what that time is worth.

Do you know if the foot traffic/attendance rates are going to be quoted by the organizer of a single event? Do you know if you will get all of the information about table/chair/electricity rentals that are offered (included or at a cost)? These are the types of information offered by the "services" you described.

If you're just looking to do a single or handful of local events, use Facebook to find them and then check the posts from past events to see how well they were received/attended by the public. When I started out I would go to as many as I could as a customer and then use that to determine which ones were best suited for the items I wanted to sell. Some were too much like flea markets, some catered to produce like a farmers market, and the best (for me) were the artist/artisan markets that specifically only allowed handmade or locally sourced goods. Did I spend more than $35 worth of my time finding them all? Absolutely. I have a friend that does at least two events a week for at least 30-40 weeks a year, so for her it's something she will absorb the cost of to keep her hours to her craft.

[Ginny B]

Re: Question about craft fairs

I think that those sites would be advantageous for those crafters who travel state to state for larger craft fairs....with larger price tags probably. There is one like that pops up here for craft fairs on L.I. but I steered clear of that one. Check church and local organization websites and see if they have any on their events calendars. There may be a list by a particular county too that you don't have to pay a fee to see it.

[SuzanneOrleansOntario]

Re: Question about craft fairs

I wouldn't pay for a list of craft fairs, especially if you are new to this.

I'm not certain what exists where you live. Have you been to any shows locally that were well attended? Check out local craft guilds that organize their own shows. I belonged to 2 guilds for over 10 years. Annual membership in each was about $35CDN. They both held a fall and spring show. They also offered the use of credit card processing for small fee (back in the paper receipt days). I was able to use the CC service for all my business throught the year. Their shows were 2 full days each and well attended (5k), my sales were $1500-2000 weekend. I always booked 2 booth, with corner premium $150. I also did smaller craft shows, with smaller return paying between $35 -65. I did consider signing up for 4 day show (with 10-15k attendance) - these were $500. But I didn't think I had the energy for 4 days straight.

Now I do one craft show in the fall, very well attended. One day - they raised prices this year to $60.CDN per booth. I booked 2 as I usually have a friend who wants to help and sell their stuff. So we split.

Good luck. Have your marketing materials ready, business cards, list of items with prices that you are willing to make if you run out. If you plan to make quilts, be general about price and give range $$$ or ask.

[Carlie Wolf]

Re: Question about craft fairs

FWIW, I just do the two very local fairs. It's a learning process and frankly you cannot always tell what people are interested in from one year to the next. The first fair I paid for one booth space and I sold a whopping $5 that day. The booth cost me $25. Granted I was very discouraged but then thought well I was able to hand out my cards and I really initially saw it as an opportunity to let people locally know I do this type of thing. Also I had brought almost all quilts and nothing else. I decided not to call it a total bust and give it another try the next year. While I still brought as many quilts the next time I also brought a lot of smaller items since I had noticed that the previous year the clientele were for the most part purchasing items that cost them $25 and under. I sold a total of $250 that year and actually did sell one quilt. But I also noticed that almost everyone who was purchasing were purchasing only handmade soaps or outdoor Christmas decorations. This is my fourth year and I usually sell one or two baby quilts or lap quilts along with the smaller items I take with me. Don't discount how much those smaller items do add up in your profit margin!! While my sales still run around $300 I also have begun to get more people contacting me to make things like memory quilts and things like sewing lessons so I think those two one day craft fairs are worth my time. I generally am just looking to have enough to help with my winter fuel bill and a few extras (yeah more fabric!).

For what's it's worth I did increase my booth size the second year and I think it helped that people could walk around inside a booth space. I think they browse more that way.

[grammaterry]

Re: Question about craft fairs

I priced a craft fair that I used to sell at that's not too far from home. They are now a juried event and charge $35for an application non refundable if they don't accept you. I declined