This was my third year in Tubac, and it's been better every year.
My dad and stepmom live in Tubac, so I do have a little bit of a different attitude toward this show than toward many others. It's a five-day show, and the booth fee is $600. My first two years, I basically tripled the booth fee, and I was OK with that. $1800 is a low-acceptable rate for me for a two-day show, but really pretty crummy for a five-day show.
Spending time with my dad and stepmother is primary in this trip. Secondary is plein-air painting. Third, getting out of winter. The show is fourth on my list, so I can live with $1800 - especially since I'm staying for free.
That being said, my total for show and post-show sales this year was over $7K, so I was quite pleased. I'm a painter with large, bold pieces, not the type of work that you buy on a whim. I'm learning that sticking around after a show is a smart thing to do - and in this case, was what I had planned to do anyways.
But let me start at the beginning. Tubac is a tiny golf and art village 40 miles south of Tucson. The show takes over the town, the second week in February, from Wednesday through Sunday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Set-up is Tuesday - starting at 2 p.m., when you get your packet and find out your location.
I've always been in the same spot, and it's a spot where it's easy to set up, where storage space behind the tent is plentiful, and where parking is close. My neighbors have generally been the same, all three years, and are very pleasant. It seems that most spots have some space, and that set-up is generally not too difficult.
The quality of work in the show is pretty high, though you should expect "vendors," i.e., people selling STUFF - soap, garlic-infused stuff, "All Artificial!!" cactus (actually, these were pretty amazing) candy apples, candles, etc. Some work that marketed itself as "handmade" clearly was not. But the Real Art and Craft is quite good.
In my limited experience, buyers come out on Wednesday and again on the weekend. Thursday and Friday tend to be lookers, and people wanting low-end items. They are generally older, retired folks, of which there are many in the area.
A jeweler friend had a good show, selling items from both high and low ends of her price range. A painter friend who has a lot of prints sold more than $2K on the first day, and had decent days afterwards, including selling an original after the show. A photographer friend had a lousy show, and some trouble with his booth placement. He'd threatened to leave Saturday night, but stayed, and had a good Sunday, though I don't know his $ total.
Though one year it was in the 50s-60s during the show, this year and last the temps were 70s-80s. There's a good artist dinner on Wednesday, and every year, there's been someone selling edibles at some point during the day. That said, the town is crowded during the show, and you're well advised to bring your lunch. Booth sitters were plentiful this year, and very helpful. There are port-a-potties in very convenient spots throughout the show. Lodging can be an issue, but artists say to try Rio Rico, which is south of Tubac.
This is a friendly, cheerful show, with a decent potential for sales.
Comments
Hi Carrie, glad you had a good show, sorry I didn't know you were there or I would have tried to stop by, it was our first and probably last Tubac show. Sales were what we expect for a 2 day show, booth fee of 600 plus they charged 30 for RV parking for the duration, just not worth it for 5 days. Agree, easy load in, load out, nice people, etc. But if you are there to make money, it was a long show for many of us. It did give us good excuse to find our way to Patagonia Lake before the show, absolutely wonderful, next year we'll just visit without the art show.
Dear Carrie, I was so happy to read your review. Like you, I have close family living in Tubac and I attend the Tubac festival, as a shopper, every year during my excursion to the Tucson Gem Show. I make woven beaded jewelry and do many art fairs every year, and I have been toying with the idea of doing the Tubac show as a vendor for quite a while. Your write-up has given me renewed vigor towards making application and actually doing that show. My worry was the mix of so much low end merchandise. My pieces are very detailed and very expensive - not just strung beads and chunks of turquoise like you see in many Western venues. Do you think there is a high-end customer wandering about in that crowd?
Fascinating review and commentary, sounds like an interesting place to visit...glad you did well, and chose to share this comprehensive account of your experience with us.
Hi, Richard, thanks for your post. Yes, there's lots of local history in and around Tubac. The Presidio is fascinating, as is San Xavier - an ancient church between Tubac and Tucson - and also the mission at Tumacacori, just south of Tubac.
There are tons of galleries in town, and they are fairly open to being approached. Also there are some good stores and a fine Arts Center. So even if it's not a killer show for you, there still are many opportunities.
The checkpoint is a constant source of annoyance for people in town. For me, nearly 60, with a history of drug use and abuse (clean and sober for 29-plus years now, but still...) it's always sort of a freakout. They have never checked me for anything, in spite of the fact that I drive a huge Nissan van with no windows, and could be carrying an entire Mexican village with me.