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October 5 & 6, 2024
Stafford, Virginia
Embrey Mill Park, 1600 Mine Road
Saturday 10am-5pm & Sunday 11am-4pm
75-100 Artists
Deadline: September 1, 2024

Fees:
January 1 - June 1, 2024 10’ x 10’ Space (Artist/Artisan) $250​
June 1 - August 31, 2024 10’ x 10’ Space (Artist/Artisan) $300
September 1 - 30, 2024 10’ x 10’ Space (Artist/Artisan) $400

We are currently accepting exhibitor applications for our 2024 Stafford Arts Festival in Stafford, Virginia. If you're an artist, this festival is a great opportunity to showcase your art, meet with potential buyers, and enjoy a weekend dedicated to artists and art lovers of all kinds. All applications will be reviewed by the FESTIVAL’s JURY COMMITTEE. The decision of the Jury is final. Exhibitors will be notified of acceptance or rejection via email. ​Exhibitors will also be featured on the Stafford Arts Festival website – StaffordArtsFestival.com.

As you stroll through rows of tents, you'll meet the makers behind exquisite sculptures, paintings, pottery, photography, jewelry designs, batiks, and so much more. The creators will be on-hand to discuss their processes and inspirations behind each handcrafted piece.

The Festival Awards

What will the exhibitors be competing for? The Stafford Arts Festival offers the following prizes:

• Best in Show, $500 
• Awards of Distinction, Up to ten at $100. NOTE -- the number of awards are awarded at the discretion of the Judges 
• Honorable Mention, three at $100 
• Judges Choice, Up to five at $100 Each. NOTE -- the number of awards are awarded at the discretion of the Judges 
• Special Award -- Best First-time Artist $50
• Special Award — Selected by the Festival Volunteers, $100

Testimonials

It's about time we had a Festival like this in our area. I attend 6 or more Festivals each year and now I have one almost in my backyard. I've told my friends, we definitely have to attend next year. Good Shopping. Good Food. Definitely Recommend. Karen, Williamsburg, VA.

My husband and I planned a mini-vacation to attend this Festival and I am so glad we did. The quality of the artists was exceptional. We are consummate art festival junkies and we found so many new and unusual types and styles of art. The variety of artists and the quality of their of their work made this one of the best festivals we have attended. We a looking forward to attending next year. R. R., Harrisburg, PA

I am now a local resident and coming from a large metropolitan area with many festivals, I was surprised and delighted to have an event with such a variety of artists and art work in my back yard. Congratulations to the organizers they have done a great job bringing this event to our area.
M. M. Spotsylvania resident.

Learn more: https://www.staffordartsfestival.com/
Contact: Janice Jones StaffordArtsFestival@gmail.com

January 11 & 12, 2025
Cape Coral, Florida
Cape Coral Parkway E from Del Prado to Coronado
Saturday 10am-5pm & Sunday 10am-4pm
250 Artists
Deadline: August 30, 2024

Application fee: $35/Booth fee: $450

Artists, designers and makers with high quality, handmade, original work are invited to apply to be a part of our Fine Art Festival. Eligible work ranges from original high-quality giftable craft to premium fine art. Applications will be juried and chosen based on uniqueness, craftsmanship and attention to detail. Up to 240 artists will be accepted to participate in the festival.

The Cape Coral Arts Festival & Marketplace is one of Lee County’s largest Special Events according to the Lee County Tourist Development Council and the Lee County Visitors and Convention Bureau bringing over 140,000 attendees to enjoy the arts! In 2020, our Art festival was Voted the Best Outdoor Event by the readers of Gulfshore Life Magazine and the 5th best Art Festival in the nation by Sunshine Artists. For 39 years, the Rotary Club of Cape Coral has been proud to bring this event to the community. All proceeds from booth sales are donated by the Cape Coral Rotary Foundation to improve the community of Cape Coral.

To attract our new residents to our Art Festival to buy really good Art, we have organized a Premier Artist area comprised of up to 72 of the Best Artists who apply. The selection of artists that are invited to participate in the Premier Area will be based on jury scores. We are also providing extra amenities to make Premier Artists happy.

The benefits of being invited to participate in our “Premier Artist Area” include:

• Booth location next to lodging accommodations, Holiday Inn Express;
• Reduced booth fee or discounted booth and 2 nights lodging package deal at the Holiday Inn Express;
• Lunch and Water will be delivered to your booth both days
• Larger Booth Space: 13-foot-wide booth spaces;
• Dedicated Artist bathrooms; and
• Convenient access to food located in an “off the street” food court

Amenities for all Fine Crafters and Artists include:

• Booth spaces located on the street;
• Light towers for booth set-up on Friday evening and tear-down on Sunday evening to make finding your Booth - plus setup and tear-down - easier;
• Enhanced WiFi service to prevent usage overload problems;
• 24 hour Security;
• Complimentary Coffee and Doughnutson Saturday and Sunday mornings;
• Drive-up access to your booth is provided for unloading and loading and to access to your booth on Saturday and Sunday mornings until 9 am;
• Artist information packets will be delivered to booths by 9:00 am on Saturday morning;
• Free convenient off-street parkingfor Artists’ vehicles and RVs;
• $9,000 in cash awards to Category winners and Best in Show;
• Award Presentation Breakfast will held on Sunday morning before the Festival opens;
• Water and Snacks will be delivered to booths;
• For those artists needing a little more space, there is an Option to purchase a booth and ½ space (16.5’) in lieu of a standard 11’ Single or 22’ Double booth space; and
• Dedicated group of Rotarian volunteers will assist with booth set-up, tear-down and booth sitting during the festival if needed.

Testimonials

SALES: WOW! I have not done this show since 2019 and I am so glad I was able to do it this year! A lot has changed since I last did this show; my art has gotten better, I display larger pieces, my prices have increased, and Cape Coral was ‘ground zero’ for the recent Hurricane Ian. 2017 my best year until this year, I almost DOUBLED my previous best at this show. I will tell y’all that my sales in the ballpark of over $5K!

Organization: Excellent! The Rotary does know how to put on a great and well organized show. We could even pick our booth numbers ahead of time. Communication ahead and during the show was great and there were plenty of Rotary members and volunteers to direct traffic and even help load or unload your supplies and art, if needed. Also one member came by on Sunday and took a short survey of anything “good, bad, or ugly” about this year’s show. Wow! I wish all shows did this...Kyle Wilson

For more information: 
https://capecoralartfestival.com/

Contact: Christina Redman cgredman@gmail.com

October 19 & 20, 2024
Beverly Hills, California
Beverly Gardens Park
Daily 10am-5pm
235 Artists
Deadline: July 17, 2024

Application fee: $55/Booth fee: $415

The Beverly Hills Art Show is a fun, festive, but serious semiannual fair. Local and regional patrons, along with hotel visitors from around the world, shop at the Art Show, which has been held for over 50 years. Artists are recruited nationally. Selected artists will exhibit along four prominent garden blocks in the center of Beverly Hills.

Selected artists will exhibit in historic Beverly Gardens Park along four prominent blocks in the center of Beverly Hills, adjacent to a very busy neighborhood, and near the Golden Triangle which is a business district close to fine dining restaurants, famous designer stores, important galleries and beautiful parks.

Ten fine art and craft categories are featured, with an emphasis on fine art. New artists are frequently accepted and highlighted, as show coordinators seeks fresh work and perspectives.

APPLY NOW: 
beverlyhills.org/231/Beverly-Hills-Art-Show

Contact: Carolyn Holden artshow@beverlyhills.org

October 4, 5, & 6, 2024
Bentonville, Arkansas
Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art
Friday 5pm-10pm, Saturday 10am-8pm, & Sunday 10am-4pm
100 Artists
Deadline: July 26, 2024

Application fee: $40/Booth fee starts at $550

The Crystal Bridges Museum Art Fair will be an annual event that is committed to the artful work in American Arts and Craft. This fair represents modern, traditional, and emerging artists. Approximately 100 artists nationwide will be selected to showcase their fine artworks in various mediums, including ceramics, wood, textile, glass, drawing, painting, mixed media, jewelry, photography, metal/iron, and sculpture.

The experience of and appreciation for nature is central to the mission of Crystal Bridges. The trails and grounds of Crystal Bridges are a must-see part of the museum experience. More than five miles of trails wind through the museum’s 120-acre site, providing guests with access to the beautiful Ozark landscape. The Art Fair is located throughout the heart of the outdoor trails.

ARTIST AMENITIES
24-Hour Security 
Power
Booth Sitters 
Artist’s Lounge Snacks and Drinks 
Saturday and Sunday Breakfast 
Volunteers that want to make you happy!

For more information: 
http://crystalbridges.org

Contact: Elizabeth Selders storeinfo@crystalbridges.org

November 8, 9, & 10, 2024
Fountain Hills, Arizona
Outdoor street festival
Friday, Saturday, & Sunday 10am-5pm
125 Artists
Deadline: July 31, 2024

Application fee: $35/Booth fee $725+

The Annual Fountain Festival of Fine Arts & Crafts is now in its 50th year. This is a street festival located on the Avenue of the Fountains and the surrounding downtown streets adjacent to the famous Fountain Park in Fountain Hills. 

Fountain Hills is located just outside Scottsdale, Arizona. Attendance varies and can reach up to 100,000 guests over the 3-day weekend. This festival is a community event offering a range of mediums including fine art as well as handmade fine crafts.

The Fountain Festival of Fine Arts & Crafts is a juried art show. The festival attracts a variety of fine artists and craftspeople showing their work. Since competition brings out the best in artists, it benefits all attending. The Fountain Festival of Fine Arts & Crafts features unique, one-of-a kind works of art. The variety of great art and handmade crafts is staggering.

This November show is a continuation of our 50th anniversary celebration. 

We added an emerging artist grant program. Please call us for more information on the HART artist grant.

For more info: http://www.fhartfairs.com
Contact: Tammy Bell tammy@fhchamber.com

I know this might just be me sounding dumb, but how should I put labels on a meshpanel wall? I have already figured out my art tent, which artwork to put up and my art bin with a small table for a email sign up. But should I print little paper signs get them laminated and then put velcro adhesives to the back? I am asking because I am doing my first show in August 10th and I wanted to make price tags for everything, just making sure all of my ducks are in a row. How would any of you do it?

Thomas Hagen

P.S. If anyone is willing to take a look at my website and give me feedback I would greatly appreciate it!

www.thomaswhagen.com

January 31, February 1 & 2, 2025
Fort Myers, Florida
Downtown Fort Myers
Opening Night January 31 - optional participation
Daily 9am-5pm
200 artists
Deadline: September 20, 2024

Application fee: $35 Booth fees start at $464

ArtFest Fort Myers is stronger than ever, with 200+ artists and a great layout overlooking beautiful Downtown Fort Myers riverfront and yacht basin. ArtFest is a free, non-gated event for everyone in the Southwest Florida community to come shop your artwork.

Click here to apply!

• Two-day, FREE to the public, community event, with 85,000 attendees
• Year-round, full-time professional staff
• New and cutting-edge art is equally at home with more traditional work
• Loyal base of dedicated art buyers/VIP members who are focused on YOUR work
• Attracting young professional families with free fun art related activities for kids of all ages
• Oversized booth spaces and convenient Friday set up with drive-up access
• Discounted hotel rates, indoor bathrooms

Testimonials

September 7 & 8, 2024
Fort Wayne, Indiana
Historic City Streets
Saturday & Sunday 11am-5pm
55 Artists
Deadline: July 12, 2024

Application fee: $10 Booth fee: $75

The ArtsFest is part of the 42nd Home and Garden Tour in the Registered Historic District in downtown Fort Wayne.

We think you'll love spending the weekend with us in our historic neighborhood during its very popular Home Tour. The West Central neighborhood is on the National Historic Register and the ArtsFest takes place in the street in front of these revived workers' cottages and restored mansions. Imagine your booth set among shady trees and enjoy the easy-going vibe, where the residents show off their unique homes to old-house lovers. The event regularly brings in about 3,000 people who attend the tour every year and love the ambiance of the neighborhood.

What the artists say about us:

"Awesome show!" and "Organizers were great!" and
"Love the neighborhood atmosphere!" and "Great layout!" 
and, of course, "I love this event!"

What to expect:

• a small boutique event
• easy setup, drive up to your booth, short hours, helpful volunteers
• cool food trucks, live music and buyers that appreciate unique and one-of-a-kind goods.
• A friendly place to spend the weekend AND you can't beat the booth fee!

➤Learn more and apply:
westcentralneighborhood.org

Contact: Katie Pruitt kepruitt@gmail.com

We love our neighborhood and think you will too: 

I've been a moderator for AFI ever since Connie started the group. Time for a little self promotion.

I have almost 40 years experience doing art shows. Since 2004 I've worked with thousands of artists scanning their jury slides then editing digital images of their artwork or booth pictures, I also photograph artwork for jurying. And from time to time, I still get slides to scan. Though I can photograph any type of artwork I seem to get a lot of jewelry. I've always done free jury image evaluations and give free advice on booth images which is why I started this facebook group of over 5,500 members currently. If you want to do your own photography, I can walk you through how to get the best images of your artwork. I only charge if you want me to edit your images or photograph your artwork.
You can see examples of all of my photography at https://LarryBerman.com and see examples of my artwork photography at https://bermangraphics.com/digital-jury-resources/jury-slide-photography.htm

Larry Berman
http://BermanGraphics.com
412-401-8100

I volunteer as the Art coordinator for a small arts festival in Fort Wayne Indiana. Members of the committee want to change the booth layout, instead of having the booths back up to the sidewalk they would like to put them down the middle. Of course I have my own ideas about this, but what do you say? Which would you prefer? This would be one row of booths in the center of the street.

August 16, 17, & 18, 2024
Frisco, Texas
Comerica Center
Friday 6pm-9pm, Saturday 10am-7pm, & Sunday 10am-5pm
60 Artists
Deadline: July 16, 2024

No application fee/$430 booth fee

The inaugural Art in the Arena Frisco is the first of its kind indoor fine art festival in North Texas located in Frisco, Texas, just 20 miles from the Dallas–Fort Worth International Airport, where artists exhibit their work inside the Comerica Center Sports Arena (home of the NHL Dallas Stars / Frisco Fighters Football / Texas Legends Basketball).

Sponsored in part by the Dallas Stars and made possible in part by a grant from the Frisco Arts Foundation, the Art in the Arena Frisco 2024 Festival is a showcase of a large variety of fine art from local artists but is open to all levels and regions of visual artists (no craft art booths are accepted at this time), and provides our patrons with the opportunity to meet and talk with the artist who created the work.

* On August 16: VIP Night in the Arena with $50 VAGF donation.

* On August 17 & 18: Patrons will enjoy free entry and complimentary covered parking (space permiting); live music provided by Melody of Hope on the main stage throughout the entire event; and up to 60 emerging and professional artists.

Visual Arts Guild of Frisco is celebrating 23 years
as a non-profit supporting local visual artists
with our inaugural indoor fine art festival.

Be a part of the kick off to many years of this artistic celebration, collaboration
and opportunity for connection.

More info: https://www.vagf.org/
Contact: Jennifer Luney finance@vagf.org

NOW Art is actively seeking artists nationwide to design unique and original mural compositions for community-focused programs. These public facing projects are in partnership with corporations. Each mural is delivered as digital compositions or scanned high-resolution traditionally created artwork files. Approved artwork images will be printed on high quality vinyl, enlarged and adhered professionally in site specific locations.

Deadline: Ongoing

For more info and to apply: https://nowartpublic.com/community-mural-program/

October 25, 26, & 27, 2024
Decatur, Alabama
City Hall campus
Friday 5pm-9pm, Saturday 9am-5pm, & Sunday 10am-4pm
80 Artists
Deadline: July 1, 2024

Application fee: $40/Booth fee $175

River Clay is a juried, rain or shine, outdoor show. Located in the beautiful Tennessee Valley, Decatur is a burgeoning arts community whose City Hall campus is surrounded by Alabama's largest Victorian historic district and a picturesque, revitalized downtown complete with numerous bistros, restaurants, and unique retail boutiques. The city of Decatur is conveniently located midway between Nashville and Birmingham. You'll find Huntsville, home of NASA, Redstone Arsenal, and numerous technology/engineering firms boasts the highest per-capita level of education and income in Alabama, just 25 minutes to the east.

Now in it's 9th year, the River Clay Fine Arts Festival remains a big hit with artists and collectors in the venerable Southeast fine art festival schedule! Our past participating artists reported great sales, exceptional organization, and unparalleled volunteer assistance.

River Clay kicks off with our patron preview, River Clay Rendezvous, on Friday evening with great food and drinks for you and your helper/guest. Our artist market is Saturday and Sunday, set in the greenspace surrounding City Hall.

Our dedicated staff provides our artists with volunteer support, including help at load-in and load-out, breakfast, lunch, snacks, water, booth sitters, and an artist helpline.

Artist amenities include judging by art professionals, cash awards, personalized service by staff, indoor artist-staff only restrooms, high-quality work, and absolutely no buy/sell.

New Weekend:

In hopes of cooler temperatures for our artists and patrons,
and to get a little closer to the holiday shopping season,
we've moved River Clay to October 25-27.
Same great festival - just cooler!

For more information: https://www.riverclay.org/
Contact: Alison Belcher Artistinfo@riverclay.org

September 27 & 28, 2024
Mount Hope, Ohio
Ohio Heritage Market
3558 State Route 62
Millersburg, Ohio 44654
Friday 1pm-8pm & Saturday 9am-2pm
40 Vendors
Booth fee starts at $250

November 8 & 9, 2024
East Ridge, Tennessee
6710 Ringgold Road
Friday 10am-6pm & Saturday 9am-2pm
75 Vendors

Two shows produced by Plain & Simple Magazine, which strives to bring you the best and most engaging content including Amish & Plain Communities. Our team of writers and editors work around the clock to provide you with crafts, decor, cooking, and editorial features covering a wide range of topics, including culture, faith-based inspiration, and Amish Life.

Come be a part of the craft shows hosted by
Plain & Simple Magazine!

For more information: https://plainsimplemag.com/
Contact: Marlene Lehman plainsimple2017@gmail.com

September 27, 28, & 29, 2024
Nashville, Tennessee
Wedgewood-Houston-Chestnut Hall Neighborhoods
Friday 4pm-7pm, Saturday 10am-6pm, & Sunday 11am-5pm
125 Artists
Deadline: June 29, 2024

Application fee: $40/Booth fee $500

American Artisan @ Artville returns to Nashville the weekend of September 27-29, 2024. The event showcases high-quality fine art and contemporary crafts made by American artists. ​​The American Artisan Festival was founded in 1972 by Nancy Saturn, who owned a number of art galleries in Nashville over the years, including The American Artisan Gallery and the Zimmerman Saturn Gallery. In 2023, the American Artisan Festival became part of Artville for its inaugural year.

The outdoor festival will take place on historic Houston Street in Wedgewood Houston neighborhood of Nashville and feature an incredible selection of unique, one-of-a-kind handmade items.

Artville also includes up to 20 large scale public art installations, artisanal food and handcrafted drinks, a free children’s art creative space, live music and more for all ages.

Artville will feature a full Nashville-style musical program including singer songwriters as well as full band performances throughout the weekend.

For more info: https://artville.org/
Contact: Tracie Hitz tracie@goodneighborfestivals.com

November 14 - 17, 2024
La Quinta, Calfornia
La Quinta Civic Center Park
Daily 10am-4pm
175 Artists
Deadline: July 18, 2024

Application fee: $50/Booth fee starts at $350

The ENCORE Celebration draws a different audience than the traditional March event. In November, La Quinta Art Celebration ENCORE art enthusiasts are from the affluent Coachella Valley as well as from elite California coastal communities. We appeal to those who are second homeowners in the desert and the early arriving snowbirds. The golf courses open a week prior for the season so the timing is perfect. Also the Thanksgiving holiday is two weeks AFTER this event which we believe will be instrumental to our success.

We will further expand our partnership with Palm Springs Life Magazine and Southwest Art Magazine as media sponsors. Eblasts to their patrons are part of our campaign. We also will be using drone footage for the first time in our television commercials and our website to showcase the beauty of this event site as well as the creative layout of the event.

Testimonials:

"If I could only participate in one art show a year, I would choose La Quinta Art Celebration"

"The attention to detail and organization of this event is stellar."

"The Artists are treated like royalty with food, water, best artist reception in the country, etc....."

"I was proud to be surrounded and affiliated with the quality of artist that is in this show!"

"It truly deserves its ranking as #1 in the Nation."

The November 2021 Celebration Encore was ranked #1 Fine Art & Craft event in the Nation 2022, and #8 in 2024 as Greg Lawler’s Top Ten Elite Events in the Art Fair Sourcebook.

Learn more: www.laquintaartcelebration.org

Contact: Kathleen Hughes kat@scopeevents.org

November 2 & 3, 2024
Inverness, Florida
Historic Downtown on the Courthouse Square
Saturday & Sunday 10am-4pm
125 Artists
Deadline: September 15, 2024

Application fee: $25/Booth fee: $200-$350

The Inverness Festival of the Arts is one of Central Florida’s premier juried fine art shows. Join us November 2nd & 3rd in picturesque downtown. IFOTA is renowned for its commitment to promoting artistic excellence and innovation drawing thousands of enthusiasts and collectors from all over the world.

We have a wonderful Artist dinner on Saturday evening. Rails to Trails Bicycle Trails goes right through our town. There is great fishing in our lakes and we are 20 minutes from Crystal River, home of manatees. Great place to kayak, scuba dive! Homosassa Springs is wonderful, too. Citrus County has wonderful natural settings to help evoke the artist in all of us!

IFOTA established in 1972, serves as a vibrant platform for artists to showcase their medium: paintings, sculptures, jewelry, clay, fiber, photography and many more. There is a generous prize pool of $10,000.

In addition to the displays, the festival also features live music and entertainment, student art, interactive exhibits for children and adults, all this while enjoying food and drink from the local restaurants. IFOTA, set in historic small town Inverness, creates a fun and engaging atmosphere for visitors and art enthusiasts of all ages to enjoy.

Awards

The Inverness Festival of the Arts is committed to celebrating the diverse talents of our artistic community. Whether you’re a painter, sculptor, digital artist, or work in any other medium, your unique vision and dedication to your craft have the potential to be honored with an award:

• Best in Show
• People’s Choice
• Medium-Specific Awards
• Veteran-Specific Awards

Honoring Service Through Art: A Special Celebration for Veteran Artists

The Inverness Festival of the Arts is extending a special invitation to the brave men and women who have served in our armed forces and now express their journeys, memories, and reflections through art. This year, we are proud to introduce a generous booth discount and three exclusive awards designed to honor the outstanding contributions of veteran artists to our vibrant arts community.

Testimonials

"With so much going on in Citrus County, the Inverness Arts Festival is unbelievable!! The best I have ever seen. The quality of the over 100 artist booths is spectacular!" Mike Bays

For more info: https://inverness.gov/527/Festival-of-the-Arts

Contact: Heather Hagar hhagarIFOTA@gmail.com

2024 ART MARKET OF ESTES PARK, CO, MAY 25-27

PROMOTER: Fine Arts Guild of the Rockies

FEES: Jury $35, Booth $400 on Zapplication

NUMBER OF BOOTHS: 90 +

MEDIUM: Leather (equine, canine, personal)

PRICE RANGE: $3-$4150

This was the 23rd annual Art Market of Estes Park. You can apply to the show on Zapp. The jury fee is $35 and standard booth fee is $400. The application deadline and notification are in March.

GEOGRAPHY, CLIMATE, DEMPOGRAPHICS

Estes Park is the eastern gateway to Rocky Mountain National Park.  Access from Denver and I-25 is by US-34 through Big Thompson Canyon or US-36 up the St. Vrain River.  Check the weather and road reports (www.cotrip.org). Trail Ridge Road crosses the mountains in the National Park, and the resort areas of Granby, Grand Lake and Winter Park are on the west side.  The road is usually opened Memorial Day weekend.    

“Parks” in Colorado refer to broad intermountain valleys.  You have all probably heard of South Park.  There are also North Park, Middle Park, Allenspark etc. Estes Park is one of these valleys at an elevation of 7,522’. Mountain weather can be unpredictable, and this is true of Estes Park.  It was all nice all three days with only brief afternoon showers followed by sunshine. There were a couple strong gusts of wind in the afternoon.

There are many summer homes around Estes Park and in the

foothills.  The area is a destination for metro Denver residents and both national and international tourists.  The crowd is middle class, many families with pre-teen kids, lots of dogs.  

     This year Trial Ridge Road over the mountains in Rock Mountain National Park was not opened on Memorial Day because of a late snowstorm. Also, there was street construction immediately west of Bond Park through the commercial area of Estes Park. Both affected attendance at this year’s show.  

SETUP AND TAKE DOWN

     Setup started around 9:30-10:00 Friday morning. For most of the

Time you could drive to your site, unload and get out of the area. Ninety booths are arranged around Bond Park, and in and along the City Hall parking area. All booths are on hard surfaces.  A few special considerations about doing this show are altitude sickness if you are a “flatlander” and presence of wildlife: elk, deer, bears and the smaller critters. There was a designated trailer parking area with a shuttle back to the show. Take Down is similar after taxes were paid at 3:00 pm on Monday.

SALES AND ANALYSIS

I have done the Estes Park Art Market eleven times since 2009. It started as a solid $2K sales show for me and in most years, sales were mid-$3K. Weather affected this year’s crowd and sales. Saturday started off with good sales but the wind came up and the temperature and crowd dropped. Some artists left the show Saturday when the wind came up and others were gone Sunday. This was typical spring weather in the Colorado mountains. Rather than a three-day show, the wind reduced it to a two-day show. My total sales with post show custom orders was mid $2K, my average sale was $58 and my margin was way down to 30%. I plan to return as this is usually a mid $3K show. Belts with utility buckles were my biggest seller followed by a mix of other leather goods: holsters, dog collars, checkbooks, and billfolds. Some sales were post show custom orders billed when completed.

The mediums were heavy on wall art (photography and 2-D) and jewelry but with diversity. There were about 2-3 artists in mediums of leather, ceramics, fabrics, wood, metal, and mixed media. I have a following at this show with returning clients and it was great to see clients who needed more adjustment holes in their belts.

AMMENITIES ETC.

     There was coffee and goodies every morning and a goodie bag with snacks for several days. There are clean accessible rest rooms in the City Hall and there was overnight security.  Food vendors are present.  There was a silent auction of donated art, and a high percentage of artists donated work. I donated with proceeds going to high school scholarships.

MISCELLANEOUS

     Art shows in Colorado resort areas are mini vacations out of the studio. We have found it is less expensive to rent a modern cabin or condo in the area which in some cases are less expensive than motels. We eat in to save money. We rented a house with our daughter and family from western slope CO. The two grandkids helped with setup, take down and sales. Each was paid $100 for the weekend.

When sales were slow, I greeted and photographed many dogs who liked the attention.

     Estes Park has three major shows during the summer and fall. Rotary produces the Estes Park Art and Craft Show Labor Day weekend in September, and the Fine Arts Guild of the Rockies produces the Art Market Memorial Day weekend and the Arts and Crafts Festival in mid-September. There are other weekend events in the community.

September 20, 21, & 22, 2024
Ferndale, Michigan
Nine Mile at Woodward
Friday 4pm-7:30pm, Saturday 10am-7:30pm, &  Sunday 11am-6pm
120 artists
Deadline: June 22, 2024

Application fee: $25/Booth fees start at $475

Twice as funky as the average fine art fair.

Yes, a fine art fair can also be funky. We focus on art that has a bit of an edge. Traditional techniques but non-traditional images. We include all mediums. Audience ranges from art lovers looking for more interesting work to art lovers that have not yet realized that passion.

An art fair for people looking for something a little different.

Learn more: www.funkyferndaleartfair.com/

Contact: Mark Loeb mark@integrityshows.com