Over the last three years I've tried out many different types of arts and crafts fairs. Slowly I'm learning which ones I tend to do best at. I'm also learning the flip side of that coin: the kinds of fairs I want to avoid like the plague!
With that said, I composed this little list, while sitting at my booth at a rather disappointing fair recently (I won't mince words: it was the Alameda Art and Wine Fair.) If I offend anyone, I apologize. Mostly, I just wanted to share this as a way of commiserating with my fellow artisan vendors. Some days are rough, and some days are rougher than others!
I give you: "A fun little list of a few of the reasons why I won't be selling at a certain kind of craft fair ever again"
1. Men who see a woman working at a booth by herself and automatically think she needs help/wants to talk to you/is lonely.
2. When people pick up my jewelry, look at it with disdain, and then drop it back on the table in a jumble of chain, pendant and what not. It's not garbage to just be thrown about!
3. People who try to haggle. Especially if the piece has already been discounted for a sale. You are not at a garage sale. Nor are you at a flea market. Enough said.
4. When people quite audibly criticize the design/color/length what-have-you of some or any of my designs. It's not that people can't have differing opinions, I just ask that people be respectful.
5. When people leave food crumbs/wine stains/beer cans on my displays.
6. When people allow their kids to come and pick up/mess up/ruin my displays and or jewelry. I understand that kids want to see things, and that's okay, I just want the parents by their side!
7. Women who set their ginourmous purses on my displays and jewelry. Then they scooch it out of the way! And of course, all of the jewelry gets scooched right along with it.
8. THE WIND!
9. The general overall taste level - by which I mean, the booths that are the busiest, guaranteed, are the ones selling the cheaply made imports. Do people come to these arts and crafts fairs to see arts and crafts or to see a giant outdoors WalMart?
10. Women who have to get their boyfriend's/husband's okay on the taste level of a piece of jewelry before they buy. This is what I want to say to these women: "Honey, do you like it? That's what should matter!"
11. When the vendor next to you is handing out fliers and they keep deciding that the best place to do this is standing right in front of your booth.
12. Drunk people.
13. When your booth is set up right next to another booth selling noise-makers for kids. And you get to listen to kids playing with those noise makers all day. ALL DAY!
Okey dokey! I'm dying to hear from some other vendors. Got something to add to the list?
