How to Plan a Craft Show
Planning and hosting a craft show is an effective way to promote local artisans and crafters. It is also offers shoppers an alternative to the mass produced items found at retail chains and super stores. Hosting a successful event requires a lot of preparation and planning, but the results are well worth the effort. A well-coordinated event can help build community, and it will inspire attendees to support independent artists.
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Instructions
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Conduct research to determine the need for a craft show in your area. If there are already craft shows in your area, determine when they take place and what kind of wares are available.
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Set a date. Refer to your research when making this decision in order to avoid planning an event that falls too close to a similar happening. Choosing a date that corresponds with a popular gift-buying season, such as the winter holidays, valentine's day or mother's day may help increase traffic.
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Find a venue. At this point, you must determine whether you want to host an outdoor event or find an indoor location. If you're hosting the show during the colder months, an indoor event is ideal. Rain is always a concern when it comes to outdoor events, so you must make sure participating artists know the risks and are able to provide their own tents. Choose an accessible venue with ample available parking and nearby public transportation options.
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Decide how many vendors you want to include in the show and how much it will cost to participate. Consider your venue when you make this decision. How many vendors can comfortably fit in the space, and with what size booths? Determine booth fees by how much you need to cover the cost of venue rental, any permits you may need to apply for and the time you need to devote to organizing the event.
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Recruit vendors for the show. If you want to invite only local artisans and craftspeople, post promotional fliers at local coffee shops and other community gathering places, approach artists directly, send an informational email all the local craftspeople on your mailing list and advertise in the local newspaper. If you want to recruit vendors from beyond the local community, post an announcement on online message boards dedicated to crafts.
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Determine what equipment you have available to you. For example, does the venue offer tables and chairs, or will vendors need to provide their own? Also determine whether sufficient electricity is available. Let vendors know what they must provide on their own and you'll avoid confusion when it's time to set up.
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Advertise the event. Publicity is essential if you want your craft show to be a success. Write a press release and send it to the local paper and every free listing you can locate. Buy ad space in community circulars and newspapers and print promotional postcards to distribute at local businesses. Take advantage of social media---create a Facebook event for the show, make a listing on Craigslist and promote it over Twitter. Make a PDF of the promotional flier available for download so participating artists can post it in their communities.
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Tips & Warnings
If you're planning a first-time craft show, keep it small. Planning a small event is more manageable than coordinating a large fair, and if your event is successful, you can let it grow over time.
References
Resources
- Photo Credit camping show 3 image by mdb from Fotolia.com
