We will have a booth in an event about 3/4 of mile from our home. That is right, 3/4 mile, NOT 34 miles! LOL If it were any closer it would be in our own backyard.
This venue has about 300 booths, not including the food booths under the pavillion. It is a fund rasier for a plantation home in our town, Southdown Plantation and Museum, and has been going on around a couple of decades. It is a tradition with many locals to attend and will make plans to attend for months in advance. It is always the first Saturday in November and the Saturday of Palm Sunday weekend.
I think this will be our 3rd or 4th time at this one. Booths fees are currently $150 for a 10x10. Set up can be done on Thurday starting at about 9:00 AM till sunset or on the morning of. The first time we did it we set up the morning of the event ... in the dark, with a flashlight! No kidding. We were in our first year of shows and were still learning some lessons all newbies have to learn. For example, if they offer set up the day before .... TAKE IT! LOL
The weather is supposed to be awesome ... highs in the 60s. Highs around here this time of year can be in the high 70's to low 80's but quickly moderate as November gets in gear.
We do well at this one, especially the fall when people are in the mood for Christmas shopping.
http://www.southdownmuseum.org/marketplacehttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yg6JBeEEEn8
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The shows are over for me, but the off season work goes on. I have to finish up the installation of three second story windows to get the ladders put away before Monday’s snow coming in. In the studio I am finally finishing up the last two belt orders from summer shows. Then there will be the current belt, case, gun leather and repair orders. I’m also finishing up a couple saddle restorations with the help of one of the apprentices. A fellow from Texas dropped off an heirloom Frazier saddle for a little over $1K work which will help pay spring booth fees when done. I started a white trick saddle that is going to Australia. It will have turquoise ostrich plumes sewn on it. It has to be done by December 5, so it can go back as baggage. I bought a new Singer 20u-109 machine (needed equipment purchase to offset show income), and I probably spent more time on the computer getting the set-up DVD to work than I did assembling the beast. I will be entering my “mosaic period” with the machine to use even smaller pieces of scrap leather. Leather costs are going out of sight. Most are over $6-7/sq. ft. now because Chinese are buying raw hides at the packing plants for their shoe industries. Finally, I will be starting work on rebuilding my booth “museum booth” with grey interior, pedestals rather than tables and sparse inventory (versus my packed with “inventory booth” which has served me well) for some of the “snooty” shows I want to apply to in 2015. LOL, I got another invitation to apply to Cherry Creek, but that will have to wait until 2016. Every year when it comes, Jean and I have a discussion about standing on hot asphalt in Denver in July or going up to Steamboat Springs, CO for their show.
Connie Mettler > Richard L. ShererNovember 3, 2014 at 4:10pm
What have the Chinese been doing for shoes before now, Richard?
These Australians are sticking around in the US until it is summer there?
Does this mean you are planning on some indoor shows in the coming year or so? I'd think your work with a museum style booth would be a big hit at the new upcoming Art Denver. Have you seen the pedestals from Pedestal Express? Pretty cool and collapsible so they can fit in small spaces.
What I was supposed to do this weekend is finish tallying the survey information for the Best Art Fairs. What I did instead was go out politicking and door knocking around town for local candidates. Luckily it was beautiful sunny 60 degrees with gold maple trees everywhere.
Chinese: bare foot or sandals
Aussies: trick riding school this summer then national Finals Rodeo in December.
Indoor shows: made money at them but overall not worth the effort. I think people have too many holiday gifts to buy and have less for high end purchases.
Pedestals: I talked with Larry and am raising my tables to keep cost down.
Politiciking: got called but had too much work to do. Sent $$ instead of donating time this election.
Tuesday Night: popcorn, chips, salsa and beer as election returns come in. The "super bowl" for political junkies LOL
Geez the ceiling is down on top of us today, cold, sleety fog falling on dry leaves making a hissing sound. Got the fires going for Jean and the dogs.
We got set up this morning for the show tomorrow. I am really concerned about predicted winds. We have a wind advisory for winds expected to be 25-35/mph overnight, ending about 7AM. We did weight the tent with our pvc pipe weights and also staked all four corners.
Otherwise, the weather looks great. A cold front is coming in so we are expecting a wake up temp in the 40's and a high tomorrow (Saturday) in the low 60's. I hear the weather man say we may not get out of the 50's. So we are dressing in layers and we will get an afternoon sun into our tent. Coffee and hot chocolate ought to be big sellers tomorrow. As for tonight we are bunking in our beds, using our own showers and drinking our own coffee in the AM ... well, at least I am. I am the only one "old enough" to drink coffee around here it seems. vbg I am hoping the chill in the air tomorrow puts the Christmas spirit of retail therapy all around us and our fellow artists and crafters.
I'm doing Halifax Art Festival in Daytona Beach, Florida. It's gonna be a great weekend. Here's this morning's sunrise from my hotel, La Quinta Inn. WOOHOO!
Connie Mettler > Barrie Lynn BryantNovember 3, 2014 at 4:04pm
As far as the Best Art Fair survey ... have not seen it. How about a link? TIA
I completely forgot the location, Houma, Louisiana. It is about an hour out of New Orleans. Anyone coming from New Orleans would have four lane travel almost to the door way of the event. It is juried.
Full disclosure here ... I have seen a few booths that are buy/sell. When we were absolutely certain it was b/s I went to the organizers to report it. They are working on weeding it out. Everyone here has been doing it long enough to know most people are honest about what they do but a few aren't and that leads to some gaining entry.
The food booths are done this way. Southdown gets most or all of the food donated. Then community service groups like Rotary each volunteer to run a booth ... jambalaya or hamburgers or soft drinks or corn soup, etc. Southdown keeps all the $$ from food sales. My dh volunteers for the Rotary booth, which slings hot dogs.
Thank you, Cynthia, for starting this thread. I couldn't even think about any art fairs this weekend. I'll be spending the weekend tallying the totals from the Best Art Fair Survey. Who do you think will be #1?
Replies
The shows are over for me, but the off season work goes on. I have to finish up the installation of three second story windows to get the ladders put away before Monday’s snow coming in. In the studio I am finally finishing up the last two belt orders from summer shows. Then there will be the current belt, case, gun leather and repair orders. I’m also finishing up a couple saddle restorations with the help of one of the apprentices. A fellow from Texas dropped off an heirloom Frazier saddle for a little over $1K work which will help pay spring booth fees when done. I started a white trick saddle that is going to Australia. It will have turquoise ostrich plumes sewn on it. It has to be done by December 5, so it can go back as baggage. I bought a new Singer 20u-109 machine (needed equipment purchase to offset show income), and I probably spent more time on the computer getting the set-up DVD to work than I did assembling the beast. I will be entering my “mosaic period” with the machine to use even smaller pieces of scrap leather. Leather costs are going out of sight. Most are over $6-7/sq. ft. now because Chinese are buying raw hides at the packing plants for their shoe industries. Finally, I will be starting work on rebuilding my booth “museum booth” with grey interior, pedestals rather than tables and sparse inventory (versus my packed with “inventory booth” which has served me well) for some of the “snooty” shows I want to apply to in 2015. LOL, I got another invitation to apply to Cherry Creek, but that will have to wait until 2016. Every year when it comes, Jean and I have a discussion about standing on hot asphalt in Denver in July or going up to Steamboat Springs, CO for their show.
What have the Chinese been doing for shoes before now, Richard?
These Australians are sticking around in the US until it is summer there?
Does this mean you are planning on some indoor shows in the coming year or so? I'd think your work with a museum style booth would be a big hit at the new upcoming Art Denver. Have you seen the pedestals from Pedestal Express? Pretty cool and collapsible so they can fit in small spaces.
What I was supposed to do this weekend is finish tallying the survey information for the Best Art Fairs. What I did instead was go out politicking and door knocking around town for local candidates. Luckily it was beautiful sunny 60 degrees with gold maple trees everywhere.
Aussies: trick riding school this summer then national Finals Rodeo in December.
Indoor shows: made money at them but overall not worth the effort. I think people have too many holiday gifts to buy and have less for high end purchases.
Pedestals: I talked with Larry and am raising my tables to keep cost down.
Politiciking: got called but had too much work to do. Sent $$ instead of donating time this election.
Tuesday Night: popcorn, chips, salsa and beer as election returns come in. The "super bowl" for political junkies LOL
Geez the ceiling is down on top of us today, cold, sleety fog falling on dry leaves making a hissing sound. Got the fires going for Jean and the dogs.
We got set up this morning for the show tomorrow. I am really concerned about predicted winds. We have a wind advisory for winds expected to be 25-35/mph overnight, ending about 7AM. We did weight the tent with our pvc pipe weights and also staked all four corners.
Otherwise, the weather looks great. A cold front is coming in so we are expecting a wake up temp in the 40's and a high tomorrow (Saturday) in the low 60's. I hear the weather man say we may not get out of the 50's. So we are dressing in layers and we will get an afternoon sun into our tent. Coffee and hot chocolate ought to be big sellers tomorrow. As for tonight we are bunking in our beds, using our own showers and drinking our own coffee in the AM ... well, at least I am. I am the only one "old enough" to drink coffee around here it seems. vbg I am hoping the chill in the air tomorrow puts the Christmas spirit of retail therapy all around us and our fellow artists and crafters.
Definitely doesn't look like Wyoming.
Hope the show was a good one for you, Barrie.
As far as the Best Art Fair survey ... have not seen it. How about a link? TIA
I completely forgot the location, Houma, Louisiana. It is about an hour out of New Orleans. Anyone coming from New Orleans would have four lane travel almost to the door way of the event. It is juried.
Full disclosure here ... I have seen a few booths that are buy/sell. When we were absolutely certain it was b/s I went to the organizers to report it. They are working on weeding it out. Everyone here has been doing it long enough to know most people are honest about what they do but a few aren't and that leads to some gaining entry.
The food booths are done this way. Southdown gets most or all of the food donated. Then community service groups like Rotary each volunteer to run a booth ... jambalaya or hamburgers or soft drinks or corn soup, etc. Southdown keeps all the $$ from food sales. My dh volunteers for the Rotary booth, which slings hot dogs.
Sounds like you are heavily invested in this show. This sounds like a non-profit venture with lots of community support. Imagine -- donated food!!
I'll take a few more surveys since I haven't done the tallying yet. Here is the artist survey: https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/798CTVH
and here is the patron survey: https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/GLMJ2WR
Thank you, Cynthia, for starting this thread. I couldn't even think about any art fairs this weekend. I'll be spending the weekend tallying the totals from the Best Art Fair Survey. Who do you think will be #1?
Cynthia, where is this show you'll be doing?
We'll be in HA's Venice Beach show, can't wait, first time there.