Craft Show |
~ Outdoor Show Survival ~Art & Craft Shows, Fairs & Festivals Information for Craftsmen & ArtistsOutdoor shows are not for everyone. If your product is fragile or will sun fade, or if you have allergies or suffer from weather extremes, you may prefer to do only indoor shows.
For those who want to try outdoor shows, a few precautions
and the following gear should help you survive and enjoy them. Check this list against
your own, there may be one or two things here you’ve
overlooked.
Don‘t wear aftershave,
perfume, or perfumed deodorant, hair spray, etc. Yellow
jackets and bees are a problem, especially
August through October.
Sunscreen, and a hat
with a four-inch or wider brim . Baseball hats aren’t enough
protection, they leave your ears and neck exposed.
When they’re turned around to protect
your neck, it leaves your face exposed. Don't wear after-shave, perfume, or scented hairspray or deoderant, it attracts bees.
Dark
glasses. You
can’t smile and be pleasant if you have a blinding headache
and a sunburn.
We cover the following Eastern US States:
A long-sleeved light-weight garment ; you can get a sunburn through a T-shirt.Sunscreen agent . Use SPF #30, and replace it every few hours. The good news is that it’s effective, -the bad news is that after a year, it loses its screening ability. Buy just a small bottle, unless you have a large family. Throw leftover lotion away at the end of the season.
Broad-brim hats: Hats
with a 4-inch or wider are ideal to cover your face, ears and neck.
A baseball cap leaves your ears and neck exposed; if you turn it
around to protect your neck, your face will be exposed. Skin
cancer rates are climbing. Hats are good protection, - in
Australia, the law demands that school-age children wear broad-brim
hats outdoors because of the rise in skin-cancer, yet Americans seem to
be oblivious to these dangers.
Boots;
the
grass is wet in the morning.
Take warm gloves , too; we had ice on the water-buckets Memorial Day weekend in Accord, NY, and that’s not even high-country. Comfortable shoes, and an extra pair of socks, so you won‘t have wet feet all day.Sweat-shirts,
nylon wind jackets . If you dress in
layers, you can take them off one at a time, and be comfortable.
Tick and insect
spray with DEET ; -spray your clothes, not your
skin. OFF
brand foam insect repellent is nice on your face, neck and hands and
works against most flying insects, but it’s not effective
against ticks.
Extra clean
cloths, and a large towel ; these are wonderful
if you are caught in a downpour.
Handi-wipes, or
wet washcloths in a zip-locked bag.
Tissues and
paper towels .
Large waterproof
tarp, or heavy-weight plastic for emergency cover-up of
your display; make sure everything is dry before you pack them away, or
everything will smell musty!
A package of
clip-type clothes-pins to anchor plastic tarps, table
covers, etc. in wind and rain.
If
you have glass display cases, be prepared for
dust; pack Windex and paper towels
. - If you don’t have glass cases, - what do you
need to help you cope with dust?
If your eyes suffer from wind, dust, and pollen, buy a bottle of lubricating eye drops , -not the kind that gets ‘the red out!’ There are several excellent brands; the best ones (with few preservatives which can cause allergic reactions) are Hypo Tears, Tears Natural, and Baby Tears. There’s another type that has no preservatives, and comes in a box of 30 ampoules: "Refresh" and "Celluvisc". Celluvisc is more viscous for very irritated and dry eyes. Refresh
is made by the same
manufacturer, is less viscous, and suitable for sun-stressed or
dust-irritated eyes and normal use. The ampoules are tiny, and are
sterile until broken open, and store well, (about $12/box 30.) Your
eyes are your most precious resource; carry some sort of eye lubricant
in your toolbox.
Cheapie
plastic
drop cloths as extra cover ups . They cost about a dollar,
and are great in surprise shower. Drop over your merchandise
and clothes-pin in place or weight down as best you can.
Large trash bags , for
emergency pack-down, and to cover boxes
of inventory, etc.
Rubber bands,
Zip-lock bags .
Leveling boards
: buy a $5 bundle of wood shingles at a lumberyard/supply center to use
as shims, (they break into pieces easily) or use pieces of paneling, or
thin plywood; you will never set up on level ground.
Hammer/hatchet,
rope .
Poncho
or rain cape to leave in
car till needed.
Thermos
or ice chest with
water/juice/soda/coffee, etc. (nonalcoholic beverages.)
Blanket,
chair, and a rug to
stand on in cold weather.
Munchies,
and real food in case
you can't get away.
Don’t forget to pack all your gear for indoor shows, too, including extra receipt books and a copy of your show contract stashed in your cashbox where it’s readily accessible in case of a discrepancy. If you paid for 1 1/2 spaces, a corner space, electricity, etc, your proof is on hand. Don't
forget to include your Sales Tax certificate. I put my
original
in my cash box, and post a copy on my display or on the wall behind me,
in plain sight to keep the tax people happy. Packing up, I
often
forgot to take my cerficate (copy) off the wall, or lost it in my
boxes. My original was safe in my cash box, - that saved my
bacon!
If you’re shopping for a canopy, it must be white for the colors of your product to show true. It’s heartbreaking to set up with all your beautiful work displayed under a green tarp that casts a bilious green tint over everything.
To find the best canopy to suit your
special needs,
network at shows. Many
have special features, e.g. can be set up by one person, are especially
sturdy, have options which allow the canopy to fit different size
spaces. It takes a
while to know what’s available and decide on the best setup
for you. It’s tax
deductible, and with proper care,
lasts for years! Happy camping! Art & Craft Show Yellow Pages, published by Craftmaster News. It's published quarterly and covers art and crafts shows in Connecticut, Delaware, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Vermont and Virginia- and now: New Hampshire and Rhode Island. copyright
1998-2006
Betty Chypre
All Rights Reserved
Free 7 Day Trial to Craft Show Yellow Pages or Craftmaster News!
Art & Craft Show Yellow Pages is your #1 Reliable source providing detailed information about Art and Craft Shows, Fairs and Festival. The Online Show Listing System for Crafters, Artist, Vendors and Event Promoters. When you subscribe to Art & Craft Show Yellow Pages not only will you get 24/7 online access to our unique copyrighted data, but you can also request at any time a printed copy for an additional $15.00 dollars each print (Includes Priority S & H) as long as your subscription is current. Your one year subscription (1 yr) includes instant access to our online system and as a current member you can benefit from Print-on-Demand, our exclusive member service that allows members to request printed copies of the most current events for an additional $15.00 dollars each print (Includes Priority S & H)
|
Call us toll free at:
(800) 871-2341 Art & Craft Show
Yellow Pages ™ is now Online for
only $48.95 a year! Faster and easier to find more events, Printed
On-Demand for current subscribers only at $15.00 Each Print (Includes
Priority S & H). We list all events Nationwide! We include detail verified information for each event! This is the best source for event information and is ideal for vendors looking to sell their products or services whether you are selling food, promotional items, clothing, antiques, jewelry or any items ranging from hand made to buy and sell.
Subscribe
NOW and get instant access to the most reliable event listing information you can count on! Art & craft show listings contain in-depth details and information to help you choose the right shows to sell your arts and crafts, promotional items, food vending, trade or wholesale.
All shows are not
equal. Real show listings with detail descriptions like, event attendance, cost of booth, size of booth, what you can sell at each event or signup deadlines to event. Choose from detailed listings according to your preferences; we let you know if a show is indoors, outdoors, in tents, or in a mall. We even publish eligibility requirements, - so you will know if a show is an 'Open Show' a 'Juried Show' or trade or wholesale shows. If a show is predominantly Contemporary, Traditional, or Country , we print that information too, to help you find the right venues to sell your work. ART and CRAFT SHOW YELLOW PAGES is the most important tool in your business kit! Subscribe with confidence! We guarantee it will help you with your business, or we'll refund the balance of your subscription! See: www.craftshowlist.com, www.craftsfairguide.com, www.craftmasternews.com, www.artsCraftsShowBusiness.com, http://www.1nbcard.com/artisan.html
|