One thing I really love about community festivals is the costumes! People love to dress up, in ways they would not dress for anything else.
Here are some more learnings and observations on having a booth at the Strawberry Festival:
*Our neighbors, who make little silver bells, did really well, but they didn't start out doing well. They've been doing Strawberry Festival and other fairs for almost 30 years, so they've built up their clientel over time. Now owning one of their bells has become a status symbol in this community. I'll be there some day!
*It seems important to have a good inventory, and not expect to sell out. People like to have lots of choices.
*Weather plays a big role. People didn't show as much interest when it was cool, and it was more difficult to engage them. They were too busy trying to keep warm (so was I!)! Sales and interest picked up as it got warmer.
*Some people LOVED my work, others were not at all attracted to my style. Having the give-away helped me to focus on those people who are attracted to my work.
* I thought it better not to give away one of the scarves, as people might avoid buying what they thought they might win for free. I gave away one of my smaller silk paintings, as the paintings are expensive, and I didn't expect to sell any. I had them at the booth more to draw attention to my prints and cards.I think it worked, too.
I would love to hear about other people's experiences with outdoor festivals.
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