OK so I did my third artfair, Milfored memories. In this show and in the last show I noticed that I seem to do pretty good with the bar going crowd. Milfored seems to be rather up scale and the bar going crowd seems to be mostly mid 20s and 30s with money, or at least more money then I have. The trouble I have is these bar going crowds that seem to love my work and sometimes buy my work only come out or are mostly out around closing. First day at milford memories I stayed open up to 1.30 am. I was the only booth open and I had lights so I could be seen at night. I would get these bar crowds that loved my stuff. Infact I sold a 200$ work from the bar crowd at 1am or so and this was fryday. I expected to stay open after 2am for saturday but.. something happened.
Security wanted me to shut down. They told me at 11am on saturday that I was the only booth opened and that I must shut down so I did with a feeling in my chest that I am missing sales! Anyhow my first thought is why dose the fair care if I stay after hours. I feel that if there are lots of people walking around(it seems like more people are at night then in the daytime sometimes in milford, I was right between 2 huge bar clubs) then why do they care. I assumed that the times listed for show's was more guides to stay open or rather what the booth owner is required to be open but can be open more if they like. I did not see any (you must be closed at this point or else). So is it up to the security guards call. The guards said the reason I must close is because I am the only booth open and they are having to keep a eye on me. Personally I would rather take the risk, bar crowd seemed nice.
Another question do you know of any show's with big bar crowds where the security or artfair doesn't care if you stay open past hours? I feel that the bar people are my people. They love my stuff and I feel it hurts me to close right at closing at least if its a big middle class bar going community.
For example has anyone stayed open in "Funky ferndale", Or "Arts Beats and Eats" I assume they would have a big crowd past hours I live in Brighton so I am looking for ones around the metro detroit spots.
Or is it simply not done, is it just taboo to stay open after closing time. As I said I assume that art fair times is simply so we don't have to sit there forever, but I feel if we wish to sit there most of the night why not.
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In Traverse City MI in the summer time the sun doesn't set until very late. If I remember 9:30. It was weird at first but in the height of the summer people stay out late.
I agree with Richard. It has to be harder on security especially with a club crowd on a main street. Now not only do they have to keep an eye on the tents but they have to keep an eye on you.
Donald, what state are you in? I have come across one show that started in the evening and went late. Whether there were clubbers around or not, I don't know. Let me know where you are.
michigan around Brighton and thanks for the help
I believe most shows are operating under a permit from the town and the hours are set to accommodate traffic, security, etc. Staying open when everyone else is closed down causes them problems dealing with you when they should be dealing with a closed show. I wouldn't want an open booth set up near my closed one at one in the morning. I agree that you might want to set up a deal with a bar owner to set up on his/her property
I will have to look into the bar owner idea. Or set up near a bar owner may be fun. I can see what you mean perhaps there are a lot less security at night.I still would like to see show's that can last all day and night if booth owner decides to stay open but I don't know if those exist.
IMO this is pretty unprofessional. Show hours are show hours. I would be irritated that folks coming out of bars after midnight would be stumbling around the artist's tents be getting into mischief and causing mayhem for the security people. I would not return to a show allowing this and I would register complaint with management about letting artists who practice this in to future shows. Again IMO.
Perhaps bar crowd is the wrong word. They were more like club goers or something then drunks, Nearly everyone I saw was not drunk, perhaps they had a drink or two but they were not falling over or anything like that.Besides think about this people in the daytime can be just as drunk as people at night.
Have you thought about asking the bar owner if you could set up a table inside the bar? It just might be something that would draw a little extra attention for his bar.
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