Don't be sounding the death knell for art fairs in Michigan just yet.
Saturday morning I arrived at the Kalamazoo Country Fairgrounds for the
Garage Sale Art Fair and to my amazement the parking lot was packed! I had to park in the last row. People were standing in line to enter and others were heading out of the building with armloads of packages. Money exchanged hands.
Inside it was a melee of people jostling others in the aisles and standing in line to buy pottery, photography, glass, paintings, etc, from one hundred + artists. What a happy sight.
My art fair shopping companion, Barb Burkhardt, and I came home with work from jeweler B.J. Jordan, pottery from Michael Kifer and Mike Taylor, a scarf from Dinah Morrison, fabulous glass from Earl James and there were two objects I wanted that others bought before I got back to buy them.
Yes, it is true, there are people in this region who do have jobs and will spend their money on art. Click your heels together and believe that! Turn off the news now and then and think good thoughts and meet me at the next art fair!
Congratulations to artists Bonnie Blandford and Michael Kifer who are responsible for putting the event together. Thanks, Bonnie! Put this art fair on your calendar for next year.
the genius was in the billing "garage sale art fair"...people felt like they were getting art at garage sale prices. kudos for bonnie and michael. when in florida i shop at the thrift stores for wares for my rv...i always feel like i get a deal and that makes it more fun.
the trick is to make people feel like we are a "good" deal, lets hope we can do do with value perception and not low prices.
Thanks for the great article Connie! While overall attendance at the fairgrounds is down about 10%, our actual attendance was UP 12.5%!!! In Michigan!!! There is hope for the year!!! Thanks for coming and supporting all of us as well! Bonnie
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the trick is to make people feel like we are a "good" deal, lets hope we can do do with value perception and not low prices.