- On Sunday morning radar showed serious cells of thunderstorms coming straight at the show. Did anyone warn us, like show organizers, volunteers, coordinators, etc? No, of course not, but luckily artists take care of their own and we figured it out, buttoned down the hatches, etc. We had serious rain - a river ran through my booth - on and off all morning, with thunder I might add. Skies were dark and radar showed more cells coming, one after another. A number of booths closed completely and never re-opened. I stayed open because I am a Pollyanna (ha, I should say I used to be a Pollyanna).
- During the ongoing rain, show volunteers walked around with beer and wine, attempting to ply the artists into a happier mood. Some partook, others didn't; I kept thinking about my drive home and also the fact it was 11 am which is a tad early for me. Volunteers were drinking all this time and the show personnel appeared to be in a raucous frame of mind. Despite constant discussion (among artists) about closing the show, nothing was done.
- Sometime around 2 (I am guessing on time, honestly my brain is still a bit mildewed) we were told the show would close at 3pm. I started to wrap my art, all the time leaving it on the walls so the scant crowd could view it if desired. Like many, I was all packed up by 3pm which is when management changed their mind and decided to leave the show open till 5pm. No cars would be allowed on the premises.
- Being wet.cold.cranky.poor (my sales were abysmal) did not help my response, but I decided to dolley out. Over cobblestone, cable car tracks (oh yeah, I forgot to mention a cable car ran by my booth the entire show and that my premium $450 corner fee got me a booth that had to be set up *sideways* due to Fire Dept regulations. Meaning my front door was not in line with the front doors of all the other booths. Me and some others, maybe 4 of use like that (out of 190 artists).
- I did not make my booth fee. I had done well last year, with sales that had another digit.
- Bottom line. Poor show management - this show might be trying to be like the big guns, but I just don't see it. I've done Des Moines, St. Louis, Plaza, etc. No comparison - those shows put the safety and interests of the artists first. I did not see that at River Arts Fest.
- And oh, did I mention that all the stuff run by the show (like stages, artmaking tent, garbage cans) were g-o-n-e. I couldn't even throw my garbage away when I left at 3 pm. Even though the show was still open till 5.
Funny, huh? Gotta love this business.
Comments
The reports from staff were confusing. They came through with a "storm warning" but didn't know what kind of storm, so we got on our collective phones and checked weather reports. Rain I can deal with, high winds are another matter (which, fortunately, we didn't have). We began packing up at 3 keeping some out, as Mary Beth did, for those few who were wandering through after we got the lull in rainfall.
Most of our trash cans were gone at break down, so we used those being shared by the food vendors. That's always one of my peeves at shows. Why are the trash cans picked up at closing time? One other issue was the grunge band that played on Saturday, so loudly that we couldn't hear each other and customers. It was Memphis, for goodness sake! I was hoping for Blues and Jazz.
Anyway, a $75 show rather than expenses. I don't know if I'll get "after show" calls since we didn't get the Sunday business. You never know. The show can't be held responsible for the weather, though. I'm not sure I'll go back. I'll have to think about it. This was my second time of doing the show and I haven't done well at either. I *did* receive an invitation to do a small gift show, though, as a result of my last appearance there, where I did great. You never know what is around the corner.
I did stay with my brother & his family and had a lovely time visiting. I guess my Pollyanna-ness is coming back now that I'm home again, tee, hee.
And yeah, David, I gave it a 2nd chance too (after last year), but there won't be a 3rd chance from me.
And omg, Connie, I would have flipped if I had seen a snake!
That is also a great story about the committee plying you with wine and beer at 11 am - I can't match that one!