I got an email from this outfit for their artfair August 17 and 18 with $40 off the booth space fee. I don't know anything else about the event or promoter. Details at www.16thstreetfair.com. I am doing Golden on this date, and I am wary of eleventh hour invitations in general.
Read my articles on this site about how to pick good shows. It is based on my experiences mainly in Colorado. You don't have to be spending good money on shows that are duds right out of the chute. I can also email them to you. Contact me at through my web site. I sell a collection of business articles on Cd to leather workers but will email them free to AFI'ers.
So I signed up to do the 16th street fair. I only paid the jury fee so far (and have yet to pay the $230 for two days). The space is 8x8, and they don't allow over night booth set up, so you take down and set up each day. Now that its 2015, would you say your comments 3 years ago are still pretty on track? I agree about the sketchy crowds (free bus, homeless people, etc), but I guess I just want more info. I did the Urban Market at skyline last Saturday and made $20. An artist across the way was selling originals for $25 (compared to my $200 8x10's)
Anyway, I asked the director what type of vendors would be at this event and he said a more upscale group would be selling. Since this fair is for handmade and original art. Its not juried by skill (i'm guessing), Its juried by type (handmade or not).... who knows they asked for my website only.
Anyway I'm a complete newbie at this, I've done the wrong fairs so far. How do you start small.. and start right? I have a good set up and bought the mesh panels and everything. I'd like to keep doing this but I can't handle standing around all day for nothing.
Definitely not my cup of tea. I got another email this morning asking if I would do it for one day before Golden. My concerns were 11 th hour desperation, lots of b/s, location, security, and lots of homeless folks wandering around there. I only posted it FYI for some folks. Definitely not recommending it.
I did Copper Mountain back in the days when Michael Martin Murphy did his West Fest gig there. Great show on the Saturday the Nashville headliners were there,but deserted street on Sunday for old Michael and his buddies. The site where it was held is now condos. Fun on Friday before the show as singers rehearsed and did a mini show for artists just hanging out.
Richard: Jacqueline is exactly right about the 16th St. Mall. Dangerous place for a show, and I can't imagine folks coming to a show there. Parking downtown is a mess and who is going to carry packages on light rail?
Jacqueline: I sure wouldn't opt for the 20% commission option! ;-)
$25 application fee, indoor or outdoor booths, can opt for no booth fee but pay 20% commission instead. It's an hour from home and if it's a lousy show all I'm out is $25, a single tank of gas, and my time. Beats cooking hot dogs with the neighbors, and I might actually make a buck.
This is the same promoter that is doing the weekly shows at Skyline Park. I am local and wary of this opportunity as well. The center median of the mall would have you with the free mall buses whizzing past on either side every 5-10 minutes, the foot traffic is 90% on the sidewalks and not up the center of the mall, there are trees, benches and other center-aisle obstacles, plus the crowd can get sketchy, especially in the evenings. Wildings and fights seem to be plaguing the mall again this summer, especially when the bars let out at 2am on the weekends. Not sure this is some place I would leave my booth set-up, let alone my inventory, overnight.
Comments
Thanks any insight for good shows in Colorado would be incredible right now. I'll email you!
So I signed up to do the 16th street fair. I only paid the jury fee so far (and have yet to pay the $230 for two days). The space is 8x8, and they don't allow over night booth set up, so you take down and set up each day. Now that its 2015, would you say your comments 3 years ago are still pretty on track? I agree about the sketchy crowds (free bus, homeless people, etc), but I guess I just want more info. I did the Urban Market at skyline last Saturday and made $20. An artist across the way was selling originals for $25 (compared to my $200 8x10's)
Anyway, I asked the director what type of vendors would be at this event and he said a more upscale group would be selling. Since this fair is for handmade and original art. Its not juried by skill (i'm guessing), Its juried by type (handmade or not).... who knows they asked for my website only.
Anyway I'm a complete newbie at this, I've done the wrong fairs so far. How do you start small.. and start right? I have a good set up and bought the mesh panels and everything. I'd like to keep doing this but I can't handle standing around all day for nothing.
Jeez, I went to that years ago. :-)
I did Copper Mountain back in the days when Michael Martin Murphy did his West Fest gig there. Great show on the Saturday the Nashville headliners were there,but deserted street on Sunday for old Michael and his buddies. The site where it was held is now condos. Fun on Friday before the show as singers rehearsed and did a mini show for artists just hanging out.
Richard: Jacqueline is exactly right about the 16th St. Mall. Dangerous place for a show, and I can't imagine folks coming to a show there. Parking downtown is a mess and who is going to carry packages on light rail?
Jacqueline: I sure wouldn't opt for the 20% commission option! ;-)
But here's a call that I did bite at:
Copper Country - Labor Day weekend
http://villageatcopper.com/copperCountry/exhibitors.php
$25 application fee, indoor or outdoor booths, can opt for no booth fee but pay 20% commission instead. It's an hour from home and if it's a lousy show all I'm out is $25, a single tank of gas, and my time. Beats cooking hot dogs with the neighbors, and I might actually make a buck.
This is the same promoter that is doing the weekly shows at Skyline Park. I am local and wary of this opportunity as well. The center median of the mall would have you with the free mall buses whizzing past on either side every 5-10 minutes, the foot traffic is 90% on the sidewalks and not up the center of the mall, there are trees, benches and other center-aisle obstacles, plus the crowd can get sketchy, especially in the evenings. Wildings and fights seem to be plaguing the mall again this summer, especially when the bars let out at 2am on the weekends. Not sure this is some place I would leave my booth set-up, let alone my inventory, overnight.
Just reading the app pretty much lets you know what kind of a show it is.