Art Fairs

Preparation or Procrastination?

© 2004 by Ellen Leonard; all rights reserved

After attending several art fairs, I finally decided that waiting until the last minute to get ready was not the best plan. Procrastinating art fair preparation only makes you panic-stricken and miserable, so - in spite of how much I love to procrastinate - I took the plunge and decided to make a plan.

Ah, my plan. At first it consisted of a simple plastic container with some pens, pencils, a calculator, and tape. Then, however, it took on a life of its own. My new-found attention to detail has become invaluable and created an air of relaxation before art fairs I never thought possible.

I now have several large plastic containers packed and ready to go. I have a checklist that I make up for each art fair (that I make well in advance to cater to any special needs that particular fair may have).

Here are some ideas that I've found helpful:

1. The tent. The E-Z Up tent is wonderful, and much less expensive if purchased at Costco or Sam’s Club. Although I haven’t yet figured out how to set it up by myself, it takes only 5 minutes if you have a friend help you.

2. I have utilized my pathetic sewing abilities to make fixed table skirts/tops. I went to Walmart (Walmart actually has a great fabric department, with great prices), bought some fabric I liked that was in their clearance bin, sewed it to fit the table perfectly. Now I just fold up a variety of table covers, take them with me, choose a set depending on my mood or the event or the season, and then at the end of the day you can just fold them back up or toss them in a bag to be washed, depending on how dirty they are.

3. Food – If I plan well I am able to bring food with me to art fairs. This makes me so much happier than if I’m sitting there hungry trying to decide if I want to eat ice cream or hot dogs, the staples of summer outdoor fairs. I try to bring nutritious meals and snacks and water, so that I have energy and am happy. Preventing grumpiness will definitely increase your sales. And if you're like me, caffeine is essential, so plan ahead for coffee or soda, because the fair might not provide anything.

4. Weather. Always be prepared. I keep a plastic tarp that I bought from Lowe's for $3.00 at the bottom of my bin just in case. I also bring blankets in the spring and fall, and umbrellas.

5. The most helpful thing you can do to keep yourself organized and prevent insanity is to spend time directly after the art fair re-organizing everything. I know that you will be exhausted, but you were going to be tired anyway. And you will be so thankful the next weekend when you are packed and ready to go again.

You might have noticed that I didn’t mention the additional panic associated with last minute jewelry creating. I have discovered that, no matter how many items I have ready to go, I am always up late creating some new piece that I have decided is somehow essential to the art fair the following day. Most of my friends are the same way. I think it is simply the way that artists work. I do know that I am at my best when I am prepared for an event, that way I can focus on my art and enjoy the experience.

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