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Summerfest........what a disapointment

Posted by lori kay on June 6, 2011 at 4:23pm

This festival is held  on a tree lined street amid beautiful old homes in a very trendy neighborhood of midtown Atlanta. Sounds like a great recipe for an art show right, not so much.

I spoke with several artists who have done this show for a few years and they told me it used to be a good show until it was turned into a drunken music festival. The music was so loud that by the end of the weekend I had a sore throat from trying to talk to my customers.  Good crowds came out but they were not art buying people, they were saving their money for beer and corndogs, good for the vendors, not the artists. The steady stream of people didn't look left or right, they were intent on the libations & entertainment at the center of the festival. It was like watching a parade of zombies.

While I didn't lose money ( close) several around me did, lots of zeros or close to it. I'm sure there might have been a few success stories but no one I spoke with was happy and I made the rounds Sunday morning.

If you have a Red Stripe or meat on a stick concession this is the show for you, but if you're looking to make a paycheck selling your art, look elsewhere.

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Comments

  • Tonya Hedgeman June 9, 2011 at 7:41am

    This is my second year doing the show and my sales were about half. I agree with the zombie analogy. People were just walking, looking neither left or right.

     

  • Bert Herrera June 7, 2011 at 7:52am
    Forgot to mention my sales, well, there wasn't much to mention.  I didn't make booth fee.
  • Bert Herrera June 7, 2011 at 7:51am
    I was here as well, and I agree with you Lori.  BTW, nice to have met you.  I have done this show where the heat was just as much as it was this weekend, and sold well.  Over the last several years, the show has gone from an art show with music to a music/beer festival with some art thrown in as a sidelight.  IMO, the committee has reached a point where they need to decide what type of show they want to have.  To be fair, one of my neighbors (a painter) had a good show, but he's the only one I spoke with who said that.  He was also the only fine artist I spoke with who said they might return.
  • Annette Piper June 6, 2011 at 5:36pm
    Sorry to hear the show was so slow for you Lori and Melanie.  That sort of heat is definitely an energy zapper and keep people at home in their air-conditioning!
  • Melanie Rolfes June 6, 2011 at 4:54pm
    Forgot to add, the ice cream and beer booth near  me didn't do well either.  People were just walking, sweating, zombies. 
  • Melanie Rolfes June 6, 2011 at 4:52pm

    I have done this show before, and did it this year.  Your report is correct for this year but I really believe it was because of the heat.  Normally Saturday is a big drunken frat party, but even that didn't happen because it was to hot to drink.  That is really hot!   I just wanted to survive the weekend.  

     

    I know of about 50 groups of "regulars"  same group of 2-4 people who visit all the main shows in Atlanta.  I see them at every show and they always stop and say hi.  This time I only saw 2.   Even the shake weight guy complained that he wasn't getting enough attention.  Too hot for anyone to enjoy him. 

     

    The group that puts on this show does what they can, but they can't control the weather.    Hopefully someone has the time to do a longer review, with booth locations, load in/out, amenities, etc.  Wish I had time.  I leave tomorrow for my summer hiatus.  Good luck to everyone this summer!

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