Before signing up for a show what do you do?
Posted By: luci
Date: 2004/5/14 10:14 a.m.



Do you do a research on the show before signing up.
_How many attendants?
-Is the show well advertised?
-Who is selling what around you?
-Do you do shows that all items have to be handmade..or do you just take as it comes?
Thanks. luci

Re: before signing up for a show do you?
I've done a little of both - checked out the show one year and then applied for it the next. Most of my new shows lately though I have heard about by "word-of-mouth" or through the Michigan Crafters Magazine. The magazine lists past attendance, what type of items are allowed (home-made or commercial) etc. It was very helpful to me.

I do prefer the shows only allowing home-crafted items. As a crafter I can usually tell if items are home-made, but not everyone else can. It is very frustrating putting the time and effort into making something by hand, and having someone at the show selling commercial items at cheaper prices - and having people assume the items were hand-crafted. theresa


« Re: I've tried all those ways to check out
shows Luci and it seems that the info is usually off base anyway unless it is an old, longstanding show. At least in this part of the country. I try to talk to other crafters that have done the show for more than a year or two and see what they have to say. Some years it is good, others maybe not so good. Also depends on the crafts you do...we do lots of old wood stuff and it seems to sell regardless of whether anything else sells or not...especially the barnyard animals we make. Some shows the fabric items sell great, others you can't give them away, same w/the "smelly" stuff like soaps, lotions, candles.

I like the shows that more or less limit the number of vendors doing the same type of crafts or at least put them in different areas of the show. I really like to do shows that only allow handmade items but there are so few anymore that restrict it or as Theresa says, people can't seem to tell the difference (haven't figured that one out yet but they can't) And ADVERTISEMENT is a BIG thing...if people don't know it's going on, how can they find you? Ok...enough on this book from me see you shouldn't ask questons (but thanks for getting the old juices going) anyone else have an opinion .sharon