A
rtisans, artists, and sellers
of all types often consider
using craft shows as a way
to build their creative businesses.
Purveyors of unique, handmade
wares can find them to be quite
lucrative. Still, there are pitfalls
in the often-hectic craft show
world that newcomers don’t
know how to avoid.
WHAT IS A CRAFT SHOW?
First, let’s define “craft show”.
“Craft show” is just one term for
an event that includes multi-
ple vendors selling all or mostly
handmade original wares. It is
often used interchangeably with
terms like “craft fair,” “festival,”
“market,” or “bazaar.” Region,
venue, and the whim of the
organizers will determine which
terminology is used, they are all
basically the same thing. One
exception: “festivals” are more
likely to include a variety of
non-vendor attractions, such as
rides, games, live music, or food.
HOW LONG DOES IT TAKE
TO PREPARE?
Don’t take on a craft show on a
wh im. Deciding to participate
and signing up within in a week
of an event — or less — is a recipe
for disaster. You won’t be able to
gather the materials for an effec-
tive display, you won’t be able to
prepare yourself mentally, and
unless you’re a maker of epic
proportions, you probably won’t
have enough inventory to stock
your space.
The best time of the year to
participate is in the autumn;
with major holidays coming up,
people are on the hunt for one-
of-a-kind gifts and decorations,
and if your products fit into those
categories, you’ll likely do well.
If you think you want to par-
ticipate in autumn craft shows,
make that decision in spring or
early summer. Most established
shows send out calls for applica-
tions six to 12 months ahead of
the scheduled date. That might
seem to be an unnecessarily long
time between applications and
the actual show, but it’s a for a
good reason.
Vendors who regularly take part
in shows schedule their year of
shows often before the end of
the previous year. Shows have
limited space available to ven-
dors, and if a vendor wants in,
they need to apply quickly. Keep
in mind that returning vendors
are typically given priority, but
shows generally limit the window
available for returning vendors to
apply to open the field up to new
applicants.
WHY SO LONG?
There is a lot to take care of
when you participate in craft
shows. Like, a LOT. Not the least
of which is your inventory. If
you’re selling strictly online,
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