Hello All,
Welcome to The Best & Worst Craft Shows in New Mexico! I am starting this blog to Help all fellow craft show vendors figure out which shows are successful or a bust. I'm not trying to put any event planner down, however I am trying to help crafter's not gamble their money away. I am hoping to have a successful blog with the help of all other craft show vendors out there so any Vendor out there may have a chance to not lose their money. I have been doing craft shows a long time and seen many things and would love to hear from other Vendors out there.
What Craft show's have you done this year of 2011?
What is the Best Show you did & why?
About how many people attended? How much was your booth fee & did you make it all back? Did you see advertising? If so where?
What was the Worst Show you did & why?
About how many people attended? How much was your booth fee & did you make it all back? Did you see advertising? If so where?
Which Craft show's have you not made even made your booth fee back?
Did they promise foot traffic?
Did the Craft show ask you for a donation on top of the booth fee?
If so what did they do with the donation if there was no foot traffic?
Once booked for the show, Did the organizer of the Craft show send you all the info necessary for the event? At the event did the organizer take care of their Vendor's or at least try?
If you can think of anything to share on this year's 2011 craft show's that would help your fellow vendors would be great!
This blog is meant to HELP Vendors, because as a Vendor myself it feels awful to be at a craft show and have no foot traffic and instead of making money losing money. Please feel free to state what you went through, share craft show info, or even become booth share friends! Thanks for reading and look forward to hearing what everyone has to say.
For me the Zia craft show was the best - it's a big event and well advertised.
ReplyDeleteI was disappointed by the Corrales show - while it was well put together and organized, I was very disappointed by the lack of turn out. They stated it was advertised, but I feel the location was too isolated to get a big crowd.
I usually do bigger events - Comicon, Galaxy Fest, Bubonicon but I also like doing smaller more intimate shows to get to know customers and other vendors.
I think Albuquerque is too saturated with shows running at the same time. Shows in Rio Rancho, Placitas and some of the more easily accesible venues would help promote foot traffic and more reasonable fees - which should be based on turnout - and promoters should be obligated to refund a potion of the fees for poor turn out. This would give them an incentive to advertise the event better.
I totally agree. However because most of us are just once a year crafters which mean we do a couple of shows that hardly make above 300$ total. Most shows (other than Albuquerque) don't require business licenses. Waste of time and money. I don't mind not being reimbursed for shows that have low turn-out. We take our chances. We rent for a cause and most of us at least make our table and material. More shows we make our profit. That's the way I look at it.
ReplyDeleteThe problem with shows like the Zia show is many items are COMMECIAL not craft show items and hand made. And I have been invited many years at REDUCED price when other have paid full price.
ReplyDeleteThe thing to remember is many of the school and church shows are raising funds for a needy group, PTA, special needs kids and camp, church youth etc. So the Promoters you mention are NOT making any money. Most are volunters who volunter their time and money to help orgainize. So maybe the comments should be how you would see better promotions, what would you do to help this? And over the last seven years in ABQ I have only been to one show that I did not make my booth fee back.
I have to agree & disagree. Zia Show is catered to everyone and it is not right to charge some people more & then at the last minute charge other people less, however I would love to know what shows you did this year because there was not that many go shows. Next thing is a hand full of churches like MOPS & Our Lady of Fatima did a great deal of spreading the word to where the vendors where happy because in the long run it doesn't matter if it's PTA or charity any Art's or Vendor in general does not appreciate gambling their money away. We as artiest or Vendor's are making a living off of this and if you want to give away your money away to a charity or PTA or school or event planners then we would. The point is booking craft shows is not a hobby or give my hard earned money away, it is a way of living and that show be respected. I also must agree with the 1st comment made which is Corrales show was poorly advertized, Zia's was well advertized with good foot traffic, but inappropriate to charge less for those booking at the last minute. Alice King Community School was not advertized at all, no foot traffic and kept everyone's donations. Lacueva is pretty good if you know someone, who knows someone to get you in there because they will recommend your booth for all there friends to buy. Bad part is if you get in and know no one, like a good amount of us you won;t get much business cause they look down at you like you don't belong.
ReplyDeleteI could keep going down the list, however I just wanted to put my opinion out there and would love to hear from more vendors on their experience
Highlands HS is the pits
ReplyDeleteI did quite a few shows this year and have to say that this was the worst of my many years of doing shows. First of all, the city of Alb Arts in the Park were not good. Yes the fee was low, but the visitors were surprised that there were craft vendors. They only came to see their friends who were the entertainment at the show.The show was not promoted as a craft fair.
ReplyDeleteThe La Cueva fair was good for me. It was promoted and has lots of foot traffic.
The worst show was in Corrales on Dec. 10 at the Corrales Mentor Center. It was not promoted- even in RR or Corrales. There were 2 tiny signs on the road, but not even at intersections. There were no bathroom facilities for customers or vendors. We had to get in a car and go to a gas station down the road! It should have been canceled as they knew the pipes were frozen the night before. There were maybe 25 customers all day. Most vendors just left, way before the 4 pm ending. The organizer, Audrey, recruited vendors by claiming the previous years' vendors begged here to do the show again. We asked around- couldn't find but 1 repeat vendor (who reported last years' show was also low low traffic.) I felt cheated out of $50.
I certainly have learned what to ask of craft fair organizers this year.
Hello
ReplyDeleteMy name is Carlos U and i'm a wood hoobist.
I have done the La vina wine festival 3 times,they have the spring and the fall festival and charge 150.00 for two days,10 x 10'. with very good weather and large attendance, jazz music.So far I have been doing good.La vina is located south of Las Cruces.
I started selling fairy and steampunk jewelry last year. I started at an outdoor farmer's market on Academy and Wyoming. The benefits are it is inexpensive ($15 or less next year) and it is at a time of year when there are no other fairs. I always made up my base cost and walked out with between $5 and $90 "profit". Another benefit is if you sell something non-perishable you can often barter for $15 to $20 worth of veggies each time. The down side is it can be really windy and hot. Traffic is medium but most people are there for food. Fudge sellers would do really well. We didn't have any last year.
ReplyDeleteI had look luck at the first Las Lunes fair but not the second. I don't think it will matter which church it is, but I'd only go to the first of the season next year.
KNOW YOUR MARKET.
I've done well at anything with "high school" in the name, but I anticipate it is because for the majority of my items, they are my market. Match your price to their income and your wares to their age. Church events tend to have older (possibly wealthier) people and High schools, well you know. Always treat other vendors like potential customers, they are.
Del Norte and Highland High School were good for me, I made up at least three times the fee in revenue.
This year - Grace Church - awesome.
ReplyDeleteSt Thomas in Rio rancho 0 the pits with a bunch of crusty old hens 3 years in a row
Sabana Grande Rec Center - Rio Rancho - lied about size of spaces - same ole same ole
Thanks for this blog post! I make handbound books. I went to the first ever St. Mary's craft fair in the spring and sold just enough to cover the booth fee ($40). Foot traffic was pretty slow, but other vendors were saying it was the same weekend as a larger craft fair. People from Manzano HS came to recruit us for their fair later in the year, but I never heard back from them after emailing them. I've gotta say, I don't have the energy to do these fairs more than twice a year; I feel like I'm a dinosaur, selling books :)
ReplyDeleteThank you for this blog! Diane, where is Grace Church and when is that show? I have a great deal of difficulty finding shows. I have only lived in the area for six years. I have been selling online, but this year that has been slim pickens. I have had some luck at the Mama's Mineral show and "The Flea" outdoor market in Santa Fe when they first opened.
ReplyDelete