Quick Fair update

[morgaina]

The Moscow Renaissance Fair has come and gone. It was predicted to have terrible weather but instead it was beautiful. This does not happen often. People were out and about and acting like they were released from the prison of winter. It was good fun. Sales were slow, but I made some money, if not the greatest haul. Other merchants were discussing the slow down, many of them do the fair circuit for a living and haul big rigs to fairs every summer weekend, so they are pretty concerned. I am glad I have another income *sigh*. They told me a lot of artists who just sold in galleries have now entered the circuit. Many other fairs have raised their Booth fees this year, what ARE the promoters thinking when they raise Artist's rates in bad economic times. (Rhetorical Question, we know what they are thinking.)

But in general, a day of meriment, music, good food, and bad costuming. My booth was near the entrance and it made my heart happy to see a young woman walking in dressed in a simplicity medieval pattern of bright pink satin and lace beaming with joy. They looked like they "felt" pretty in those dresses. Here was a place a young lady didn't have to dress like Britney Spears or wear black and look marose to be one of the cool kids.

The organizers of this fair constantly say this Renaissance is the definition of the word meaning "rebirth". And I do feel like Spring is here now and I am re-connected with my community.

Comments

[hroar.livejournal.com]

I hav e yet to merchant at a Ren Faire where I did well at..none where worth it..but so it goes..and I can se ewher eit woudl be slow right now, fo r sure.

[copper-oxide.livejournal.com]

This one isn't a Historical Renaissance Fair, it's a Community celebration of Spring, and in past years I've done quite well at it. This was down somewhat, I've been too tired to look at this year's sales & draw conclusins, but I will over the next weekend.

[copper-oxide.livejournal.com]

I've been thinking about this Hroar, and I am reminded of some of the lectures by Bruce Baker. Bruce teaches marketing seminars for craftsmen. He maintains that demos are terrible places to sell your wares, unless while one person demos there is a partner there, who does a lot of talking and uses the demo as a selling point.
I've demoed at Fairs before and believe that he may be right about that.
Anyway, the general public may consider Ren Faires big demos, a place to be entertained, possibly educated, but not a buyer's market.
Just thinkin.

[hroar.livejournal.com]

Yeah..I agree.I first demoed at fairs long ago...and stopped nearly immediatly, when the parents dropped thier kids off in front of me, and went looking else where. Your right, it needs team work.
I can se the public thinking Ren Fairs as a big demo, a place ot be entertained.
"I paid thirty bucks to shop at the mall?"

[hrollaug.livejournal.com]

Many other fairs have raised their Booth fees this year, what ARE the promoters thinking when they raise Artist's rates in bad economic times. (Rhetorical Question, we know what they are thinking.)

That they've lost Corporate Sponcers? Many events rely sponcers to pay some portion of the costs, but sponcer dollars are down this year.

Besides all the inflation pressures on prices in general.

Viking Fest (local fair and festival) is $8000 short on Commercial Sponcers this year, but they are going to go ahead with the event. We know that next year, they will either have to have more Sponcer dollars, to make up for this years short-fall, or raise rates on the vendors.

[copper-oxide.livejournal.com]

A number of these we were discussing this weekend don't have Corporate Sponsors and take some pride in that.
Insurance is way up for them, from what I've been told. And they pay for things like the live music, prizes etc.
Some Artist's are beginning to boycott the ones who raise their prices. There will always be someone who is so desperate they will pay the higher fees, but that might mean quality of the attending artists goes down.