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Alpine Art Affair, Winter Park, CO, July 14-15, 2018

Fees: Jury $20, Booth $175, City Tax License $60

Medium: Leather: plain and hand carved equestrian, K-9,

personal leather goods and gun leathers.

Price Range: $16 set of napkin rings to $9,800 silver mounted

saddle.

The Alpine Art Affair was held in Winter Park, CO July 14-15 in the Rendezvous Event Center (aka Hideaway Park).  This was the 45th year for the show.  Show hours were 9-5 on Saturday and 9-4 on Sunday.   Winter Park is primarily a ski resort about an hour and a half west of Denver.   During the summer, cycling, extreme mountain biking, fishing, hiking and camping are popular activities.  The drive to Winter Park is easy on I-70 and US 24.  The latter is a typical mountain highway with switchbacks and steep grades to the summit of Berthoud Pass and down the Fraser River side.  The uphill sides have passing lanes.   Going down the Fraser Valley are the towns of Winter Park, Fraser, Tabernash and Granby.  Granby is the gateway to the west side of Rocky Mountain National Park.

FEES. The jury fee is $20, and the single booth fee is $175.  This is one of the lowest booth fees for a Colorado resort area. Others are $325-$350. Participants are required to purchase an annual sales tax license at $60.  A Colorado multiple event license is also required.  The sales tax rate in Winter Park is a whopping 11.2% compared to around 8% elsewhere, but the park is a good example of how the revenue is spent.

SET UP AND TAKE DOWN.  Set up starts at 7:00am on Friday.  You unload on the perimeter of the park.  A golf cart and volunteer youth were available to assist.  There is a lower level of multiple booths in rows and an upper level with clusters of 4-8 booths.  Lower level booths are on grass in front of a stage, and upper level booths are on grass or concrete walkways. 

WEATHER. The temperature during Friday set up was in the mid-70’s, and Saturday it was in the low 80’s.  Sunday was overcast and in the mid 60’s.  Rain had been forecast for Sunday, but there were only a few sprinkles.

THE SHOW.  This is a well-organized and managed show run by a nonprofit group of local artists.  Student scholarships are funded through the collection of booth fees from participating artists and food vendors.  Graduating seniors, within Grand County, pursuing art studies are eligible for the scholarships.   The crowds were larger than previous Winter Park shows I have done.  The quality of the work was high and there was no buy\sell.  There was a good mix of art without a dominance of jewelry.   Hawk Quest, a couple nonprofits, and a kid’s art experience were included.   Food vendors were on the perimeter of the lower level.  The Lions had an all you can eat pancake breakfast for $7, and complimentary coffee for artists.   

I had previously done this show from 2011-2014.  In these years, sales declined from around $3K to a little less than $2K, dropping about $150, $200 and $700 each year.   During the hiatus, I did Steamboat Springs, CO in 2015 and Jackson Hole, WY in 2016 and 2017. I was surprised by the number of people who commented that I was back.

Belts were the best seller, but without the usual two or three larger $200-$400 sales of personal leather, horse tack or gun leathers.  I only had one multiple belt and silver buckle sale.  There were the usual leads for holsters and special-order work which may or may not develop over the winter.

     Roving booth sitters were available, or you could phone in a request for one.  There was a wine and hors d’oeuvres reception Saturday after the show.  Ribbons and small cash awards were given for each medium and there was a BOS award.

THE NUMBERS. Saturday, I met my daily goal of $1.2K sales.  Sunday was slower, and I missed the two-day goal of $2.4K minimum by about $550.  I had 37 sales and the average sale was $50.18.  These were slow days of cranking out one $20 dog collar and one $50 belt at a time.  My margin was 48%, lower than other resort shows.

OTHER STUFF. 

We had planned on spending Monday morning after the show soaking at Hot Sulfur Springs, CO, but decide to just go home to see the dogs. Some artists drive home Sunday night, but Sunday traffic on I-70 to Denver can be brutally slow.  Advice for other artists: Hotels/Motels and restaurants in the resort areas are expensive.  I have found condos or rental houses to be more economical (around $110/night) and relaxing. There are USFS campgrounds along the Frazier River and some artists have stayed at hostels.