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Bluewater Art Festival

Posted by Lanora Hartway on July 29, 2011 at 5:25pm

This was the second year for the Blue Water Festival, and my second year. The previous year it was on Quay Street, a smaller and narrower street. It was a great move to move on to Huron Street. Much more Space and it seemed to draw more people who where interested in Art. The Crowd was looking at the Art, which the previous year not so much. It seemed to be more people about than the previous year even though it did get really sparse on Saturday afternoon when the boats had all left. Connie you are doing a great job of building this event and I know that a lot of the time you get more complaints than Thank You's. So here is a Thank You and Keep Building this event, its a hard one but I know you can do it. Port Huron has really been hit hard by the economy ( a lot of closed stores on main street) but we have to start somewhere to rebuild.

Thanks Again. Good Luck. and See ya Down the Road.

Lanora Hartway

Lanora Hartway Photography

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Comments

Walt Bennett August 3, 2011 at 1:46pm

We were there as well and had pretty much the same experience. While we were profitable, I think the slow sales were due more to the 'DEBT' kabuki theater going on in DC. As to Wendy's comment, we've vended at loads of art fairs that had admissions over $5 per head, wine festivals over $25 per head, and street shows with no admission at all. What the admission fee does is keep out those just looking for entertainment and not at all interested in buying. (That's how come there's so many teens running amok in malls.)They also were accepting a can of food instead of the $1, as I believe all proceeds were going to a local food bank. For the life of me, I couldn't figure out why someone coming for the event (and that included the concerts, rides and all the rest) would object to such a nominal thing - unless they were only looking for entertainment.
wendy hoard August 1, 2011 at 9:18pm

Well, I'm from Michigan and I'm not going to spend money to get in somewhere and spend money after putting gas in my tank to get there, then perhaps paying the event parking fee, and probably a meal or two out, more than likely one at the event and one or two en route. No, I'm not paying to shop. The day they charge a fee to get in the mall, I'll quit that too--not that I go to the mall all that often, though when I do shop it's usually the mall. It's not the $1 or $5, it's the concept Why do they need to nickel and dime people for a dollar.
Kari Resch August 1, 2011 at 12:34pm

The blue water art fair is part of the blue water festival in Port Huron, bottom of the thumb of michigan, on July 22-23. This event was very well run and had great exposure! Connie did a great job! The only thing missing was patrons.... I don't understand how tens of thousands of people could be only one or two blocks away and not make it down our street. I was excited to do a little better than breaking even... Maybe it was the heat that kept people at the waters edge and away from the craft show downtown. There were very few people that paid the $1 to come into the craft fair, I seen many people turn around a leave instead of paying the dollar to come in and take a look around. Why is that one dollar so hard for some people to part with?

(Port-a-Potties on a 100 degree day out in the sun on tarred downtown street made me gag badly. Would have been nice to have accomodated the artists with the use of an indoor bathroom and water or coffee.)

I am blessed to have met so many wonderful artists and crafters at this show! Thanks Connie for the well run show!
Colin Murray August 1, 2011 at 11:47am

I have not a clue where Blue Water Festival, on to Huron Street is located. What city and state are you talking about?
Annette Piper August 1, 2011 at 9:22am

Great to hear of a good show Lanora - thanks for the review :)
Geoff Coe August 1, 2011 at 8:58am

Hi Lanora,

For the benefit of future readers, could you edit your post and add the location and date of the show?

Thanks!
Jacki Bilsborrow July 29, 2011 at 10:15pm

Thanks for your comments on this show. I keep thinking I'd like to go to this show sometime to see what it is all about. Did being near the water seem to help with the dreadful heat?

Jacki B