This must be my week to rant. There must be a huge proliferation of newbies at all the shows I do, because it seems like 75% of them have never heard that you are to UNLOAD your vehicle, PARK your vehicle, THEN set up your tent and stuff. This is the 'rule' at 99% of shows, so unless there is a proliferation or rude, lazy or stupid vendors, they must be new, correct? Same goes for load-out. Great promoters are controlling load-out by not letting the vehicles in to the show grounds until they have verified that the tent is down, and all is packed up. Of course, if it is raining, the tent goes up and then put everything under, and the opposite at load out. That is the only exception. The other peeve is the guys that show up late, are still allowed to set up while the show is open. Just plain ridiculous. If you are not there on time, you don't get to participate that day. If Promoters would enforce this, it would stop. I don't want to hear about traffic, car trouble, or getting lost. All excuses, and none worth messing up the show. Plan. Expect Traffic. Buy a GPS. Get to the show the day before if needed. Just don't hurt my sales by setting up while I am trying to sell. It's unprofessional and inconsiderate. Ok, now you can all throw rocks at me, but it's not really hard to follow the rules. Of course, you would have to read them and give a d$#n.
Down (2)
I have had too many shows turn around on Sunday afternoon to break down early because of poor sales. It bugs the hell out of me when other people do that as well. I think it is incredibly disruptive to the people who are staying and maybe trying to eke out some sort of profit from a bad show.
However, there are valid reasons to break down early. My general standard is if I feel my work or I am in danger. That is a call that each person has to make for themselves. And weather being what weather is, sometimes we make the wrong one.
I think there are valid reasons to not do a show. There have been a couple occasions when I wish I had made that decision. I did make that decision once with Naples National and it was the right one for me. They had changed from an easy load out to a difficult one. I did not have any vacation time to take Monday off and it is a point of honor with me that I do not call in sick to work just because I am late getting back from the art show. My co-workers and boss are very decent about working around my shows and I owe it to them to not take advantage of that. I found out later that people in my section that year got out around 1AM. That plus a five hour drive home. It was the right call. I did eat the booth fee without complaint. It was my fault for not reading the show literature sooner. Actually I think that if we are willing to eat the booth fee and attempt to give as much notice as possible it is a personal call.
What are everyone else's principles?
