Report from the weekend, October 26 & 27

Yes, I was there. After years of fighting the winds at this show, we decided last year that we had had it. But then decided to help a friend with her first show - which happened to be there! We had hoped that moving to the new parking lot would afford more wind protection with the dunes at our back. Unfortunately, there are low spots in the dunes, that became wind tunnels. About 17 tents, from EZ Ups to Craft Huts , and even a steel Trimline, were blown over, down, bent, broken, or destroyed. Artists are pretty resilient, and did whatever it took to keep the show going. Our friend's tent was destroyed, and her display items and tent pieces, scattered across the street, had been gathered into a pile by a kindly neighbor. Another friend offered a spare tent, and the show chairman offered another spot (that had been vacated by an artist who had left) but it was too windy to even be able to set it up, as multiple attempts can attest. Some artists simply set their paintings on the asphalt, or otherwise found a means to do without a tent. The organizers of this show are super amazing people who are very good to their artists, but they cannot control the weather - or the lack of sales. We did get our friend set-up again on Sunday morning - she has since purchased a heavy Trimline and is planning on tryng the show again next year. If you do this show - be prepared!!! Even if YOU are well weighted, your neighbors may not be, and their tents become missiles which can still do you damage. Bring extra weights that you can offer to loan to newbies - saving them may also save you....The artist dinner on Sat evening is always good food - but also in an outside gazebo with cold buffeting winds. Some artists decide to forego the dinner just to get warm somewhere else. If you plan to stay for it, bring heavy jackets/sweaters, gloves, and a hat.

Replies

Connie Mettler November 24, 2011 at 2:11pm

Thanks for this info, Diana. So this wasn't enough to keep your friend from heading out into the wonderful world of art fairs? Hope she can earn enough money to buy that Trimline!
- Diana Sue Yum-Bucher > Connie Mettler November 24, 2011 at 6:34pm
  
  Oh, she made enough just on Sunday to buy the Trimline - which she found with all the bells and whistles on craigslist - an artist decided he was not doing shows anymore, after only using it a 1/2 dozen times, so it was like new.
Diana Sue Yum-Bucher November 24, 2011 at 1:20pm

Yes, I was there. After years of fighting the winds at this show, we decided last year that we had had it. But then decided to help a friend with her first show - which happened to be there! We had hoped that moving to the new parking lot would afford more wind protection with the dunes at our back. Unfortunately, there are low spots in the dunes, that became wind tunnels. About 17 tents, from EZ Ups to Craft Huts , and even a steel Trimline, were blown over, down, bent, broken, or destroyed. Artists are pretty resilient, and did whatever it took to keep the show going. Our friend's tent was destroyed, and her display items and tent pieces, scattered across the street, had been gathered into a pile by a kindly neighbor. Another friend offered a spare tent, and the show chairman offered another spot (that had been vacated by an artist who had left) but it was too windy to even be able to set it up, as multiple attempts can attest. Some artists simply set their paintings on the asphalt, or otherwise found a means to do without a tent. The organizers of this show are super amazing people who are very good to their artists, but they cannot control the weather - or the lack of sales. We did get our friend set-up again on Sunday morning - she has since purchased a heavy Trimline and is planning on tryng the show again next year. If you do this show - be prepared!!! Even if YOU are well weighted, your neighbors may not be, and their tents become missiles which can still do you damage. Bring extra weights that you can offer to loan to newbies - saving them may also save you....The artist dinner on Sat evening is always good food - but also in an outside gazebo with cold buffeting winds. Some artists decide to forego the dinner just to get warm somewhere else. If you plan to stay for it, bring heavy jackets/sweaters, gloves, and a hat.

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