What to Bring to a Craft Fair

Awesome! Thanks for the great article Cheyne!

Timely article with the holiday show season upon us. I love that lip balm made the list in the personal emergency kit. I never go anywhere without it! LOL

Most of the shows I do don't have connections to electricity or charge extra, so be sure to check first before lugging all that.

Wonderful,thanks!!!

Doing our first show in November so thank you for the information!! Mrs. FlyinHog

Does anyone have any suggestions for scarf displays at a fair? Both knitted and silk chiffon...

The Craft Fair team is full of such great advice!

Very good advice! Applying for an end of November craft fair and it could be quite chilly!!! Thanks :)

Great advice! I also started to think and prepare for holiday season. Hope it'll be successful. :)

Wish I could do more craft fairs!!!! LOVE them!

@Karen Giles: We found that stringing shower-curtain rings together works as a great display for our vintage silk scarves. We hang them on the front of our booth and it adds a pop of color that draws shoppers over to us. It's also easy for them to take them off for a closer look and it's easy to put them right back on.

Any ideas on displaying magents?

I want to now where are the next craft fairs?

Great advice! Thank you!

what are the general prices for craft fairs? I got invited to one that is $75 for a booth for one day.. does this seem high?

Great advice, a few things I hadnt thought of. Thanks

@Dorothy Klein: A fellow vendor of ours bought a vintage metal slide box from us to display her art magnets. Saw it for the first time this weekend and it looked great!

great tips! thanks.

I LOVE this team! Thanks for this great list!! Holidays here we come!! :D

Great advice! Thank you!

perfect tips.

thank you for the tips!!

Great information!! I've been thinking about doing craft shows and this is a wonderful check list of what to do. Thank You!!

Fantastic tips, and I really appreciate you featuring my Order Book / Ledger! I always have a supply on hand to keep stock of what I've brought and sold at shows & fairs! Always get complimented on having a vintage ledger as part of my everyday tools :)

THank you! I'm getting ready for my first craft show and this is a big help!

And bring a thick skin. Customer comments can sting sometimes. Ouch. Good luck to you all this season.

What a helpful post! Nice to have it all in a neat list!

For those interested in looking into accepting credit cards - try Square (square.com). Many artists in the circuit use it and highly recommend it.

I am bookmarking this blog post! Looking at starting to do shows this spring!

Great recommendations. Thanks

PERFECT TIMING! I am attending my first show next week and I am so happy to have found this! thank you Cheyne! ^_^ Meli

Thanks! Great tips

Thanks for featuring my item! Think outside the box for craft show displays

Many good tips, thanks!

I highly recommend using square.com for accepting credit cards at a show. My sales have doubled by offering a credit card option of payment! Thanks for these suggestions! Now if i could just double myself and get more done quickly! :)

Does anyone have suggestions on how to display silverplate flatware bracelets that is easy to transport to craft shows and is easy to take the bracelets on and off?

check check & check! thank you for the fun and realistic post! craft fair Alaska heck yes!

If I had a dollar for every time someone said "Oh I love your stuff" and then walked away I would be rich!!! LOL.....Craft fairs, you gotta love them.

Ahh fantastic! I'll be in my very first craft fair, so all the advice and tips are very helpful. Thanks!

Great article thanks! Doing my first show this Saturday!

This is perfect timing! We're doing our first farmer's market/ craft fair this weekend! ♥

I agree with those who suggested the Square adapter & app. Very user-friendly for sellers & customers because you can take credit card payments as well as keeping a tally of cash sales. Bonus: it sends a receipt to them via text or e-mail (if desired).

A set of nesting, tall cookie tins works great for displaying magnets. The fact that they nest and I can store my magnets inside the smallest tin make this display perfect for hauling from craft show to craft show! I just masked off where the lid would sit and spray painted mine with a pink rustolium spray paint.

If you're unsure about doing a show, attend the show first. Then talk to the vendors and see what they think. If it's good then sign up for next year!

Display magnets on cookie sheets. They are thin and lightweight to pack. Drill holes in the corners to hang on hooks or place on easels.

I've found that it doesn't matter what you have with you if your feet are not comfortable. The one thing that I recommend to anyone doing a craft show is to wear comfortable shoes. Leave the 3" heels at home and put on something that you can be comfortable in all day long.

I also like to bring my work...sometimes I will be doing some handsewing, other times, I've been able to bring my machine...People like to see you making stuff!

This is super, super useful to me, and I'm going to sit down and go through all the ideas this weekend :) xoxo

Go team! :) I can attest to the need for a personal emergency kit, after being that person who was walking around the morning of a show with a pounding headache, begging my fellow vendors for a painkiller. ugh! Mine also includes allergy medicine (especially if my show's outdoors and I'm going to be sitting in a field all day) and hand sanitizer to use when someone coughs all over their hands and then gives me money.

Great advice, thank you

Don't forget plastic in case it rains for outdoor events.And have your bags water proof also.Any bag you have inventory or anything else in should be waterproof.I did an event the beginning of this month and it rained half the time.My items didn't get wet though since I was prepared with water proof bags and plastic covers. Also ... please don't invite all your friends and family to stand around not only crowding your booth but the booths of the other vendors next to you.Keep in mind you are running a business and not having a family gathering.If they are shopping that's awesome but you will lose customers if they can't even see what you're selling because your booth is filled with people who aren't there to help with sales. Definitely have help.At least one other person should be with you to help keep an eye on things if you have to run and use the bathroom or just in general.Unfortunately a lot of thefts happens in booths at craft fairs.Especially with small items that are easy to drop in a pocket or a bag. I have over 10 years experience selling at craft markets and fairs.It can be a really lucrative source of income if you pick the right ones.Customers are also very appreciative of hand made work at those events.I've gotten some really amazing frequent buyers.They have continued to shop from my Etsy shop over the years.Some were just visiting the city when they bought from me the first time and were happy to see I also offered my work online.

I needed this last week!!! LOL I had my first outing at a public event. Luckily I thought of most everything on the checklist! My nugget of advice...don't be discouraged over low sales. Work on following up on any leads from the day such as your mailing list of those you talk with or take your card. I only sold 2 items at my event (and I was discouraged) but a lead from the day turned into a large order! So it was all worth it in the end! P.S. Plan for wind! Even the slightest breeze can topple your display or reak havoc!

For those of you that make one of a kind items, what do you do about inventory listed on Etsy AND available for sale at the show? Do you make the etsy listing inactive for the entire day (which, if you take all your inventory as recommended above, would leave your shop empty on a prime weekend selling day) or do you take your chances and try to deactivate listings as each item sells at the shop/pull items off display as they sell online?? Neither option sounds very good :-/

Great tips.....and a great team, too!

I also agree with Paulette - bring a helper!! I was stuck at my booth all day with no way to take a bio break or lunch break. A helper would have been fantastic!

Windex. if you have any glass. I always bring a receipt book, and a ledger book of some sort and keep of record of every sale, not just for taxes, but so if in later years I want to remember how well I did, I have a good record of not just gross, but what price points and types of items sold.

Having help or someone to break you is pretty essential, too. hopefully, someone you trust and knows your brand. if you are going out of town to a show a few hours away, bring a car cell phone charger and pre printed maps of your directions. also, numbers of either someone else going or whoever is running the show-- in case you run late, have to cancel or get lost.

I found a rotating shoe rack at different stores to help display my infinity scarves. They are 3 tiered and rotate individual. Hope this helps.

Take lots of business cards and hand them out. I may not make a sale today....but I have had people call me up a year even two later with orders.. You just never know! As far as stock goes, take everything you have. Craft shows are unpredictable, what sells at one does not necessarily sell at the next one. As for shoes, I wear my hiking boots..not glamorous, but lots of support and comfort!

On the one of a kind item Pull or not to pull... I actually use one of the Etsy Apps that if I sell a OAK item I take it down a the first moment I get to. If I have to take all of my stock to a show then I place my store on Vacation for the weekend and get it back up as soon as possible .

I'm doing my first craft fair this November, so this came with perfect timing! Much appreciated.

Excellent article! I've been doing shows lately and this is the best checklist you could ever want.

Great tips - thanks so much for sharing this advice!

Great article and advice from all! Doing my second craft show soon and thinking about the "holiday" theme and what to use for display props/decorations - any ideas? Also would like any ideas for making standing jewelry displays. I would love to get more height for visuals but want it to be easy to transport and stable when being used. I recently used old frames lined with mesh screen for table top stand but would love to make something taller for necklaces or just to catch more views.

I realize it is the wrong time of the year for this, but if you do summer shows outside take along some bug spray. One on the beach show we were at there were sand fleas! I think I was the only vendor with Cutter..........everyone loved me, at least until they could get to the nearest store! Itchy, chewed up ankles are no fun!! Also, if your vehicle is big enough, curtains and a personal porta john! You can't always count on a decent place for a potty break at an outside show.

Thanks for the tips!

Awesome!

To those who are using the Square device to accept credit cards. Have any customers requested paper receipts on the spot (for which I understand you need an iPad) or are they satisfied with text/email delivery of receipts?

#1 most important on my list.... a folding stool rather than a folding chair... A stool puts you at eye level with your customer.... better eye contact and better energy level... Mine is like a "director's" chair with canvas seat... very comfy for long hours...

Very helpful!! Didn't think of half the things on the list!!

Love all the tips here! Marking for future reference! ;o)

Thanks! I have my first craft show in November~ I am so nervous! This list helped.!

Perfect timing! We are doing our first real industry show tomorrow. Great ideas and advice. I am adding to my To Do list right now. Thanks so much!

Nicely done. I have my first Holiday show in two days. Just poured resin for $650 worth of pendants. Last batch. Oh-and, Have A Giant Smile. you WILL sell more if you don't look too stressed :) Knockemdead.........Julie @ ChellasCollection.ETSY.com

OMG...perfect timing. My show is tomorrow!

Yes on the band-aid's! I just packed some! I cut myself one time & was really bleeding; thank goodness my neighbor (a friend) had a band-aid! I like to take Kleenex & mints, too. And an easy to eat lunch (yogurt, fruit, cheese, nuts), as it never seems to fail that when I go to eat it I get a crowd. :) Oh, and I never take a salad or blueberries - don't want green or purple teeth!

Great reminders! Off to an art faire this weekend to help out my brother selling his pottery. I always forget my hat and sunscreen. Thank you for the reminders!

Some great advice here. Just in time for a craft show this Saturday. I am taking credit cards for the first time... on a simple cell phone via the key pad! Who knew it could be so simple?

In the first aid kit I would put a hot or cold pack that you can use in a pinch. I have set up for shows, and had an aching back or knee. It can make a difference in your attitude, which will usually help with our sales. The hot packs are also realy nice when it is cold.

great advice and tips!! thanks for the pointers!

So much great advice that I have to jump in with my question. I have two indoor shows coming up and I make toys and handbags. The display for the toys is no problem, but the bags is killing me. Usually I see people hanging them off of the side of their tents, which I'm not a huge fan of and this is an indoor show. Any suggestions?

doing my first craft show in 3 weeks!! Hope it works out! My daughter is coming to help out and my sister so we will have fun no matter!! Samantha how about a coat rack?

excellent checklist. Make the display as visually appealing as possible - that is often what brings people in to take a closer look. Make everything as bright as possible.

Great advice! Thanks so much :D

I have a couple of shows coming up - thanks for the great advice!

I just had my best show of the year last weekend. But with 5 more coming up before Xmas I know that there is always something new to learn everytime. Great list.

I wish I could go to a craft fair!

How about bring some spending money! I love to shop during the lulls and have found fantastic items and meet some fantastic people! Yeah craft shows! * * * Sarah Marie Schroeder my general rule for craft shows is you want the fee to be about 10-15% of your sales so if you don't think you can make $750 on a $75 booth (which means you should have about $1,400 in inventory) then maybe look for a cheaper booth and see how you do. Of course you never know what you will sell, but this helps set a goal. Maybe find someone in your area who will split it with you - this what I normally do since I don't have time to make all that inventory and it helps to have a partner for setup/take down, during the busy moments and when you need to pee :) Hope that helps!

Oh my goodness so much great advice!!! Thank you SO much everyone!!! I am planning to participate in my first craft fair this winter :)

I'm heading out soon for the biggest craft show in the province. It will be fun and scary and exciting. I've been doing smaller ones for 20 years now! I always have a great time at a show. I love meeting the other vendors and trading at the end. That's the best part!

I have seen handbags and purses displayed at indoor craft fairs using inexpensive coat racks. At one booth there were two standing racks in adjacent corners, and a long pole between the two of them with those S-shaped hooks you can get to hang pots off hanging pot racks in the kitchen. The S-hooks fit over the rod and held the straps of the handbags so they could be easily removed and replaced.

This is a great reminder, I haven't done a craft show in years.

Great tips I have been doing shows for years and never thought of some of these tips! Thank you.

I've been doing this for quite a while (over 20 years), so here are some other things I can recommend you bring: - BAGS OF *VARIOUS SIZES*. Customers like their finds protected. They also want a right -sized bag. I've even made additional sales simply by offering a larger bag so customers could place their plethora of OTHER bags in my bag. - TISSUE PAPER. Show you care by protecting their treasures. - EXTRA TAGS. Tags get ripped. Tags can fall off or be pulled off, so always be ready with more tags. - SHARPIE OR PAINT PEN. Use them to customize items with names/dates. - GLUE and/or GLUE GUN. Seems like I always need to glue something.... - IPOD/MINI BOOM BOX. Play music if there's not music playing. It gets people in the mood and ready to buy. - SCENTS. Just like real estate agents tell you to bake cookies when selling a home, bring along sprays or potpourri that provide a holiday scent. Just make sure to keep it more subtle. I use a spray that smells like vanilla and gingerbread. - BATTERIES. It seems like I always need replacements for something I've brought and some of my crafts require batteries. - NAPKINS. For when you're snacking as well as for spills that you might make or that customers might create. - HOLIDAY CLOTHING. I actually wear a santa apron that I get tons of compliments on every year. But no matter what you do, if you wear clothes to celebrate the holidays, it encourages others to get into the holiday spirit - especially October Christmas bazaars - and that means more sales. - PHOTOS. If you can't bring all your inventory, at least bring pictures of what you haven't brought so that a customer that's interested can pursue those items. A computer/tablet can also help if you have inventory for sale but couldn't bring it all or if you want to refer customers to your shop. - CAMERA. Take pictures of your display to figure out what works and doesn't work and just to remember how it looks. Also, move your stuff around during the show. That item that nobody looked at for a few hours may just get the nod if it were in a different spot. - HOT CHOCOLATE OR CIDER PACKS. It's usually easy to get your hands on some hot water and when it gets cold, it so nice to have a little treat while you wait for the sales to pour in. - A COPY OF REGISTRATION INFORMATION. In case you've paid for a table or electricity and they don't have it when you get there. It's so much easier if you can point them right to a copy of what you sent in. - DIRECTIONS. If this is your first time doing a show you've never been to, make sure to map it beforehand or take a GPS unit to take the worry out of finding the place and getting there on time. Also, be sure to make friends with your neighbors not only to find out about other great bazaars and get inspiration/information, but also so that they might watch your booth when you need a break.

Great tips for the holiday craft show season! Thank you for sharing your advice, and happy holidays to all crafters and customers!

I will be doing my first craft fair soon, so this is perfect. Thanks for the tips!

Great list!

Thank you for the great list. We are doing our first craft show on Dec. 8. Selling Christmas cards and greeting cards.

These are great advices, thank you, I will use them on my next one! I did some craft fairs last year, and I was totally unprepared - on my first one, I hadn't enough inventory and forgot to take a hat and some snacks - and on top of that, I invited some family :( What a disaster!!! Now I'm aware of a lot more, and I don´t take all the inventory with, I'll tell you why: we have to consider the people's financial habits - we are having a financial crisis in Portugal, so it's hard to sell at Craft Fairs now. I only take low prices items, everything above 25€ probably won't sell... One tip: take a bowl and fill it with candies, kids will love them and parents will come and take a better look at my booth.

I don't do craft shows personally, but these tips are great. I would have never thought of half of these.

Thanks for the tips. I never thought of an email signing up sheet, but it's a great idea! I am now updating my own check list :) Since I don't drive, I can only take with me what I can carry onto a bus, train or taxi, so everything has to be really compact. I haven't done a fair on my bike yet, but I know a crafter who brings everything on her bike! The Etsy Ireland Team is having a craft market in Dublin tomorrow which is supported by Etsy, so that's going to be so exciting! Check us out here: https://www.facebook.com/events/422762504455091/

Great tips, somehow I always forget something along the way. Also its good to be prepared with enough bubble wrap to last you through the show!

Bug spray, if you'll be outdoors. Also napkins and plasticware. I also pack my own food and water in a cooler. It's cheaper than fair food, and healthier. I alternate drinking water with Gatorade--it really helps when it's a long, hot day. Also, pack your smile. Greet every guest. Don't judge someone by how they look--you never know who will buy what. I make jewelry, and one of my best customers is a huge, tattooed biker dude (not my usual demographic!). He has a girlfriend, four daughters, and a granddaughter, and he buys jewelry for them constantly!

I love craft fairs! I have one that has been very successful in the past this weekend! All this is good advice!

I forgot--take a roll of toilet paper! You never know!

I love the craft fair scene! Typically the vendors and customers are happy and friendly - it just makes for a fun way to spend a day (and make a little cash too). Have saved the prep tips! Now to see about joining the Team:)

I actually have a show tomorrow, so this was perfect timing for this article! Due to a computer virus, I recently lost my own extensive list that I had perfected over the years. Thank you!!

.....And for anyone selling jewelry or hats or the like take a small mirror. I have a dollar store one with a little stand and I have lots of people coming in from other booths to check out possible purchases

I love craft fairs! Great information! Thanks!

Best. Team. Ever!

Thanks for the advise, great idea!

Thank you for all the great ideas. I am attending my first show on Saturday!

Great tips! Very useful article!Thank you so much!

Great article, a really handy list to have!

Great and timely reminders. Doing my first Bazaar next week-end . Wish me luck

It is good to have this list thank you

It is always fun going through these kind of lists again! You can never learn too much from it! Good luck every-one for your shows! :)

Great article. I would add to the list a hand mirror. Potential buyers may want to see how the item will look on them.

Thank you for this info! First time I've come upon such a comprehensive and up-to-date list. I do agree about including bug spray in your emergency kit...especially here in Florida :/ Thanks again! Peace & Sparkle, Lynn Birdsall Sparkle Jewelry

As someone who sells outside 9 months of the year, almost every Saturday I cannot stress it enough...bring some sort of notebook, journal-style works wonderfully well, and write down the basic details of every sale..I have two headings, kids and adults, or for my jewelry, earrings, necklace, bracelet...simple .Under those headings, I list the item, price, and at the top of the page, location of the sale and date..at the end of the day, I total my sales, and enter them on a computer 'sheet'..remarkably handy later on down the line, when an inventory list is reread..you can track # of sales, totals for the day, where whatever it was sold and when, etc etc. Takes about 15 seconds to jot it down, but info you'll be able to use this very valuable info for years to come.

Thanks for the great check list...It will be very helpful.

I've done every type of art/craft show and bazaar over the last 18 years! Some terrible. Some AMAZING! Several things that have helped me include: At outdoor events you may want to bring a small propane heater. Most late fall and winter shows allow them since they're not open flame and have safety shut offs. Tuck it under your table to keep your legs warm. Pocket hand warmers from a sporting goods store come in handy, too. Also, if there's no electricity or they charge an arm and a leg for it, you can use a car battery and converter to run lighting. Be sure to do your research on making it safe. Another thing that's helpful is to create a Show Statistics page for each show. Include date, number of people in attendance, how well you like the coordinators and vendors, general quality, fees, weather, sales, what type of things sold well, etc. That way, next year you will easily be able to see whether you want to do it again and how to prepare for it. Lastly, don't forget your photo albums/porfolios! You never know when someone will want to order something custom and your albums can give them some good ideas! Happy Holidays!

Working a show tomorrow! Thanks for all the reminders :)

These are great tips! But I agree with Wendi. Bring a notebook to write down sales. I have a list of my inventory and just check off what I sale during the fair.

For my photo album I used a free hardcover photo book coupon from Shutterfly. It turned out great and it an easy way to show off your work.

What a great bunch of talented people on etsy!! Thanks for all the wonderful tips.

Great advice and very timely --- first genuine craft show is eight days away! Hoping it's profitable.

i love the fee should be 10% of sales rule, i never had one and was happy to double my fee back and chalk up the rest to advertising costs. i am trying one between thanksgiving and christmas this year as i seem to get alot of people who are looking for ideas of items to makes themselves, i hope to have better sales closer to christmas.

One thing you must never forget to pack- A smile! :)

great post - i've done a handful of shows, big and small, and i always go online and read tips before i go to another one because you never know what you didn't think of. for my fellows in the north, i'd recommend little heat packs for your boots/shoes during the winter holiday shows. and if electricity is available, you can bring a little outdoor rated space heater.

This is great! Ive been doing shows for years and im always looking for tips. I did a write up on craft shows for my bog that has some more tips for 1st time craft show vendors. http://thetwistedcrafts.blogspot.com/2012/04/craft-showsmarkets-101-lesson-in-craft.html

I have a big show tomorrow... excited! Perfect timing for these articles!

Some really great tips, and we were so excited to see our jewelry display amoung things that could be needed :)

Good advice! wish I had this info a long time ago. The last jewelry show I went to I found it very important to bring my tools. I had some jewelry come off the chains during packaging & transit & also it came in handy for swapping out charms for custom last minute changes requested by customers. Having a means to collect payment by credit card these days is crucial!!!

Thank you!!! I am participating in my first fair and there are things on this list that I had forgotten about. This will help so much.

I am going to have a booth at a festival in the town we live in on the 1st of November. This Article really had helpful advice

My mom used to sell pinecone wreaths at Christmas fairs and she would plug in a little crock pot of spiced cider or gingerbread potpourri. It always brought people to our booth, and she swears that people bought more when surrounded by cozy, nostalgic scents!

How to pack your car - fold down back seats. Place table top face down first then slide trestles on top. Arrange boxes in and among the trestles, each labelled with contents on a luggage tag. Place rolled up (not folded) table cloth on top. Place lights and bag and food in the foot well on the passenger side. Sit in driver's seat and look in rear view mirror - can you still see out the back? Then you're ready to go!

Great advice!

Finally! An article on craft shows that realizes we need to use bathroom, eat a meal and sit down sometimes. I can't tell you how frustrated I get I read advise that says not to stand, don't eat, etc. like we are robots. Great lists!

Thanks for the tips!

What I loved about this article is that the checklist consisted of things I never thought of or read in other similar articles. Next time I do a craft fair, I will be sure to get a cash apron instead of a cash box. That immediately takes care of a security worry. Rolling carts would also be nice as I found out a couple months ago how difficult it can be to transport all your stuff when parking is far from your craft fair table.

Being my first year doing fairs, the "Craft Fairs...It's a Living" Team has been so good to me. They are extreamly helpful and have helped me avoided disaster by relaying their personal experiences. By the way, I stumbled upon an app today called "Craft Fair" that helps by making packing lists, tracking income & expenses, listing fairs, and pricing. Has anyone tried it? It's only $0.99 so I'm thinking of trying it.

Don't forget chair cushions. :) It gets pretty hard sitting down on a hard, cold chair for 10 hours!

Thank you for these tips. I am only just starting out and will be going to a craft fair in December. I fully intend to follow these tips faithfully.

Just about to do my first wedding fair, so these tips are great! :)

GREAT Article. We are getting back into the market scene after a few years only in a bricks and mortar shop, a little nervous but this article reminded me how much fun it is and a few little things I had forgotten - Pens so obvious errgh!

Super interesting article!! I'm going to my first craft fair next week and all these tips have been very useful!! Thank you!!

Wow, thanks for this. My first craft fair will be coming up and the information is so handy. Any ideas for how best to display my cards and card sets? from Lynne

Great advice thanks!

Thank you for the great tips:)

Attending my first craft fair and would like some help..PLEASE! Will be selling Rhinestone Shirts and Transfers. When a customer buys a transfer design only how do you recommend them taking this home? I thought about placing the design in between cardboard, just so rhinestones don't move, but didn't know if that seemed too amateur? Any ideas would be helpful. Also is it ok to only accept check or cash, not too sure if I want the hassle of credit cards? Should I only accept cash? Thank You

Great info. Thanks for all the tips

Love it!! I'm printing this list and having it in my craft room wall for future shows. 5 years doing craft shows and I still forget something or carry toooo much! But this list will keep my in task. Thank you for sharing!!

Great list for reference..thank you! I would add that if you NEED power and it is not provided, you can always pick up a battery backup (from a computer store) or a car jump starter (from an automobile store) and have that with you to plug small lights (I use led lighting, so it's not much of a draw) or a digital picture frame into. They aren't cheap (from $50 to $200), but worth their weight in gold in how many times I've needed/used mine. And they're great if you have a power outage at home too ;-)

Very helpful information Cheyne...will keep it handy for future Craft Fairs. Thank you

Great list. I have a box with all my bits and pieces in. I include lables for pricing items you forgot to at home. And a tape measure for custom orders or alterations.

great job creating the summary etsy - and yes check out the "craft fairs... its a living" team for tons of more info and collegue support

thanks great tips

Thanks for these helpful reminders! I've not done any fairs for a few years, but am starting again next week. I'm a little out of practice, so this list has come in very useful!

Well as a new fair seller thank you for the list I will keep it with me

I'm heading to one this weekend so all these wonderful tips will come in handy! Thanks!??

I just signed up for my first craft fair- Artists and Fleas Dec 8th! I am sure this list is going to be a HUGE help! Thank you!

Great ideas and tips, thanks!

Great list! As a newbie - my first fair is this weekend at the etsyRAIN show in Seattle -- this list is very helpful. Thank you!

I'm excited to start doing my first craft fair now! Great tips.

heading to first christmas fair..so thanks for advice...will bring all stock after reading article as was in doubt what amount to bring...thanks...lets hope i make a fortune

Thanks for the timely advice!

Great article. Although these things seem so obvious, it is so easy to forget the littlest thing!

FIRST AID KIT, Burns, cuts, bug stings, rash, head ache. You cannot be cheerful when in pain. DO NO put the table in the car first. Think Combat Loading. Those items you will need first need to be on top. If the table comes out first, you can set it up and have a place for other stuff. Often one must unload FAST and get out of the way for others.

a piece of cardboard to stand on makes all the differents if its cold. A photo camera, to make pictures of your booth or customers buying your goods( always ask ) some cloth and attachements for behind your stall its so much much warmer than without.

very helpful!...

All of these are great ideas! Thanks so much! I carry a Swiss army knife and a small flashlight.

I will be a vendor at Canton, Ms in May. My borrowed canopy is Red/White Houston University Cougars. I tried to cover the words but the tape did not hold. Any suggestions? I sell little girl clothes. I have 4 racks that take up the whole 10X10 space. Any suggestions of how to decorate to make my booth inviting?

This is a great list. I'm definitely going to have an easier time because of it, and all of the helpful comments on it!! I feel much more prepared now! :)

Make sure you always greet customers with hello, good morning, etc. Just don't sit there. Also, when they leave tell them you appreciate them stopping by. Ask if you can help them. Are you looking for anything specific. Don't nag them, or get chatty and distract them from looking. Let shoppers look and think about your products.

Hello, I am doing a big event coming soon, I will be doing it for (4) weeks I make all natural skin care products. I have tons of soap that I will be making for this big event I always label everything but this time I was thinking of not labling my soap hand write a sign w/ ingredients and then hand write what each soap was and dispaly a few soaps on the table with my hand written note cars. I guess I am trying to be more relaxed with my display instead of being in such order and neat if that makes sense... lol What does anyone think of that idea. Thank you

Thanks for helping to organize my thoughts and planning!