Taking over local craft show

[PAgirl89]

I have been asked to take over a local craft show.  It's held at a local fire company, the 2nd Sunday of November.  The show has had some great years with a great turnout, but the last few years have gone down hill, for crafters and for attendance of buyers.  It's a strictly handmade craft show and I'd like to keep it that way.  It's an established show, so the local area knows about the show and I would hate to see it go under because the previous promoters dropped it due to low attendance and low number of vendors.  I'd like to see it thrive back to a great show with lots of crafters and a nice number of people coming to the show.

 

My idea is to change it from a Sunday to a Saturday.  I think attendance would be better for a Saturday show and crafters may be more inclined to sign up.  Currently table fees are $20 per 8foot table, no extra charge for electric.  I'm not sure a cheap table fee is gaining vendors, but last year's show had about 35 vendors.  I'd like to bump that up to about 45 or 50.  The fire company can hold that many if not more.  And I will have use of 2 floors for crafters.  The fire co. also has the kitchen open and serves a hot lunch, which is open to the public during show hours.  The fire co. keeps the money they make from selling food.  So I definitely want the kitchen to stay open, it brings in the local people and they end up shopping with the crafters.

 

The advertising for the show is the fire co. marquee, their facebook page, and their website.  Also it is advertised on the marquee in front of the township building, which sits on a major state highway.  So a lot of local and not local traffic will see the advertising.  It's also advertised in the local newspaper and at on line event lists like Eventlister and PAVendors.

 

A lot of advertising does not necessarily bring in the people and if you can get them in, you can't always make them buy.  But I want a nice flow of foot traffic and people the crafters can talk to, other than other vendors.  So I was thinking of adding maybe a basket raffle of some kind.  Maybe photos with Santa Claus or bring an unwrapped toy for a toy drive to help out the local area children.  I think if the local people know the show benefits the local community, they are more inclined to come and patron the show.

 

What else could I do to help this show gain crafters & attendance?  Thoughts?  Ideas or suggestions?

 

Thanks in advance.

 

 

 

 

[Vicky_CO]

Good luck  first of all.

 

Get it back to Saturday is going to do the most to boost attendance and vendors. Try not to use the second floor customers do not like to walk up stairs if they can help it. If you really feel you want to use the upstairs make that a educational area with the firemen for the kids do not put vendors up there. I have been a vendor at 2 level events the ones up stair do about half of the sales as vendors down stairs. 

 

Another thing you can do with the upstairs is nonprofit vendors. If you can get boy scout, girl scouts, cheer leading group and ect.. to come put them up stairs it will do 2 things it will give kids groups a place to raise much needed funds and will pull their families and friends to your show.

[Guest OldGlory]

Just a thought...

I don't know where you live, and but handcrafted items are really not doing well where the economy is still struggling. Sometimes the success or failure of a business is dictated by the larger issues, not marketing, quality of products, etc.

$45-50 seems way too high for a one day show, especially if there's little chance of recouping that cost (low attendance). I don't think you'll add vendors that way. That's only my opinion, so take it for what it's worth.

Good luck!

[justajesuschick]

This likely goes without saying, but 2 words-SOCIAL MEDIA! Free and VERY effective.

 

Start a page, a group and make an event. It is amazing how the word gets out and the page/group will get shared. Start now with a Save the Date and a Vendor roundup. A few weeks out from the event, feature artisans who have signed up and will send you links to their sites/facebook page and images of what they will be selling at the event.

 

Here is a link to a group who does an excellent job with this. I was in their event last year and will be this year. They had this blog and each feature you see was added to their Facebook page every few days up until the event. The booth space always sells out and I only got in this past year as I was on a waiting list.

http://craftychickskc.blogspot.com/

 

Congrats and all the best to you. This would be a fun but big job!

[barncat]

also ask you local paper if they can do an article on you involving changing the date and new promoter, new vendors etc.  I think a good price for that type of show is <$40  I wouldn't jump the price just yet until you get more vendors and established.  What about a 2 day show? 

I did a show for years that did a raffle this way, and was really a good for customers and vendors:  Each vendor offered a door prize at their stand.  Each person coming in got a ticket then would go to each booth to check the numbers to see if they won that prize.  also what about a 50/50 for the fire co?  That always attracts people to stay around. 

[SueH]

I agree with having the crafters all on one floor. A 50/50 and a raffle both sound good. Where abouts are you in Pa?

[Georgia]

definitely keep it to one floor...if you consider adding retail - pampered chef, tastefully simple, avon - put them on the second floor.  I was in a show a few years back that was Saturday and Sunday.  Crafters could sign up for one or both days.  I was always there both days and had good sales both days.  If your local high school students need service hours, consider getting them to volunteer with set up, helping crafters unload and load cars, direct traffic.  I LOVE shows that have volunteers to help me lug my stuff!  I do like the idea of a bit in the local paper.

[PAgirl89]

I agree with having the crafters all on one floor. A 50/50 and a raffle both sound good. Where abouts are you in Pa?

 

I am in northwestern Lehigh County, which is in the southeast corner of PA.   I'm about an hour northwest of Philly.

 

I did get more information.  Apparently the fire company rents the tables for $20 each in lieu of a rental fee of the facility.  The $20 per table goes back to the fire co. plus what the fire co. collects from the food sold at the kitchen.  I would have to get at least $30 per table for me to cover expenses and my time.

 

I have the option to make it a Saturday, however, personally I have every Saturday booked with a show.  I would have to back out of one those craft shows to hold this one.  I feel Saturdays are better than Sundays for craft shows, for some reason. 

 

I haven't heard from the previous promoters.  I am in need of the mailing list of crafters so I can send out apps for this year's show, but after 6 weeks with no response, I'm having my doubts I will have much help from them.  It's uber frustrating.