Okay, so I didn't really offer a free bag of ice with every purchase at the Long Beach Island Crafts and Fine Arts Festival this past weekend. But it wouldn't have been a bad idea.
Loveladies is a casual but moneyed town at the north end of Long Beach Island, a popular barrier island off the Jersey coast. There were record high temperatures along the Jersey shore, like everywhere else: The high on site was 101 degrees on Saturday (this, only one block from the beach!), and surprisingly it wasn't as humid as advertised: relative humidities were in the 30-35% range all afternoon. It was a dry, searing heat, and the clear skies and white-gravel parking lot made it a blinding heat, as well. I had two fans running for much of the day but it helped only a little. Luckily, the host venue (The Long Beach Island Center for the Arts & Sciences) made their air-conditioned building available for a number of high-end artists and artisans, so I could take an occasional respite from the parking lot, get a towel soaked in cold water to wrap around my neck, and change out of sweat-soaked clothing. It was a four-shirt day, for sure!
Traffic was moderate in the building most of the day, near as I could tell. But out in the parking lot? As they say in these parts: fuhgeddabout it. Hardly anyone ventured down the rows of 100 or so outdoor tents, and you could hardly blame them for staying away. I pitched a shutout for the first time ever, and counted only 30 folks in my booth all day. There was genuine interest, but most folks said it was "too hot to think", didn't linger long enough to make a buying decision, and said they'd come back tomorrow. So I made the easy 55-mile drive back to my Mount Laurel, NJ hotel hoping that a promised cool front would materialize and produce a Sunday miracle.
Which, it did! Sunday dawned a skosh more humid, but about 10 degrees cooler, and the traffic picked up considerably. And, as if to answer my muttered prayers, every be-back returned, and all but one bought large. Only five sales on the day, but four were big-ticket items.
Based on the folks I spoke with, results were all over the board. A fine jeweler across from me was very happy with her sales; several purveyors of fine crafts (baskets, fabrics, and the like) didn't fare so well but were philosophical about the heat and will try again next year. It would be interesting to see how big the crowd would be in more typical summer temperatures.
Other observations:
* For my wallet, anyway, the booth fee is very affordable: $275 for an outdoor spot (corners, of course, are extra). Indoor spots vary in size and are $375, but, as already noted, are tough to get. The area motels, mostly Mom and Pops, are quite expensive, however, and they don't subscribe to the likes of Priceline. So plan on camping, if that's your style, staying with friends, or driving an hour or more from an inland motel.
* Setup was Friday from 5-9 PM, or Saturday beginning at 7 (a tight time frame, given that the show opened at 9 on Saturday). Promoters Barbara and Marcy Boroff (of Renaissance Craftables) expect you to know what you're doing, find your spot, and set up; there's no formal check-in. Same was true of breakdown: The show closed at 4 on Sunday, and radar showed a a line of thunderstorms with Loveladies in the crosshairs, so folks hustled to get out. For awhile, the lot looked like a Manhattan rush hour, but everyone cooperated, and by 6 PM the lot was nearly empty.
* There are facilities inside, including a water fountain, but no restaurants within walking distance and, so far as I saw, only an Italian Ice vendor on premises. So bring our own food and beverages.
* An on-premises lot is reserved for artist parking, but it filled rapidly. However, there were plenty of spots along the road, particularly on Saturday, due to the heat. The local police did a great job managing traffic in and out of the site.
* There was a visitor admission charge; I heard variously that it was $3 or $8. Probably not a deterrent to residents, given the local demographics, but it may shoo away the "looky-loos."
* The show quality was mixed, though one could also say accurately "there is something for everybody." The indoor spots are given to very high-end artists and artisans and those artists, according to reports, return year after year. Some of the fine craft and painting I saw in the parking lot was stunning. Although the show bills itself as a "juried fine arts and crafts show," there were kits and buy/sell in evidence in the parking lot.
Overall: A good demographic, fair booth fees, and a casual but well-run show by promoters who know what they're doing, and, as noted, provide "something for everybody." Heat notwithstanding, I liked this show, and will plan to do it again.
Comments
OK, thanks...I've got my niece house-sitting, but she hasn't mentioned getting any mail from them. Hopefully she can fax that stuff to me after I talk with Roz.
I read their "Artist Information" on the website but it's a mess...and looks like it's from 2010, not this year.
Hi Lu,
I have no idea, I've gotten next to no communication from them. How did you learn your booth number?
Hey Geoff!! see you this weekend in OC, This is my 2nd year there. Im 146, which booth are you?
Lu
Heck, Geoff, I didn't design the site -- sort of stuck with the Ning software. Just wanted to point out that if you poke around enough there are all kinds of "edit" functions for people on this site.
Yes, I knew that you had been a reporter -- and it is SO obvious. Many thanks.
@Connie: Thanks. In fact, I was a reporter in a past life. ('WAY past!)
Sales: I owe some of the credit to my neighbor, who is relatively new in the art show biz (he's done 4 shows) and was eager for advice about tents, logistics, gear, and how to present and sell his work to customers. Knowing that he was "eavesdropping" on my customer conversations, and that we'd be "debriefing" later, helped to keep me focused despite the heat. A good example of how, by helping others, we help ourselves too.
Edit function: (Putting on my former web designer hat): Generally "Edit" functions (be they links or buttons) are displayed directly on the page ("top-level feature"), not as a second-level choice within an Options menu.
Looks like you've really covered it all, Geoff! Great review, no pertinent details missing. You must have been a reporter in an earlier life ;)
Here's the strange thing about art fairs that keep us all coming back -- zero day -- and then the next day four big sales! I mean, come on folks, this business is only for the adventurous. You just never know when you are going to pull it out. Good for you, Geoff, that you made it happen for yourself.
About that edit button everyone asks about -- don't you see it in your posts, up there near the top in a little box that says "options" -- pull down on that and it gives you the "option" for editing your posting.
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