Craft Fairs

[tusses]

in the midlands / warwickshire area

anyone do them ?

any good ones ?

any proffit to be made after the cost of the stand ?

Ta

Rich

[engineerone]

don't know the answer to the midlands area, mate, but having been to a few, i do wonder how people actually cost their work.

you see this name plates and so on at about 2-3 quid and that to me does not seem to pay for the wood, let alone a decent hourly rate. of course these days you have to be a cynic and wonder how many of them are made here now rather than imported and then the decoration added here

if you are trying to get a reputation in the local area, and show off your more expensive work, then i believe it has some value, and along the way you could sell some cheaper items, but don't forget it is a weekend of at least 25 hours, mostly on your feet, and what are you going to cost that at? let alone the travel and maybe accomodation costs.

not to put you off, but it is something you need to visit and then check out very carefully, not least because much of the stuff seems to be sold quite cheaply, and thus people have reduced expectations of the value of your work.

paul

[tusses]

the 'cheap' prices are my main concern - hence the post.

I wanted to try and find which are the better ones , so I can go and have a nosy round !

promotion is a big issue too - if it brings in other work then it has a value all of its own.

[mrgrimsdale]

Used to do fairs years ago when we made toys. Basically it's a complete unknown - sometimes you'd barely cover costs, others a big order out of the blue. One fair we made more from selling the balloons which we'd bought in to decorate the stand, than from the toys themselves!
So I'd see it as a day out, with a chance of profit thrown in, and fellow stall holders to chat to abt selling etc. So choose a fair or country show you'd fancy anyway as a visitor - whatever turns you on, steam traction engines, nude mud wrestling, loud bands.
Even if you make nothing it could still make a good day out. Our kids used to like it too - all day messing about, sometimes behind the scenes, lotsa hot dogs etc.

cheers
Jacob

[tusses]

nude mud wrestling it is then ;D

I was planning on treating it as a day out - and any sales / work as a bonus.

still - I'd imagine the likes of Stratford Warwick and Leamington might command higher prices than Coventry Nuneaton and Bedworth LOL

no offence to my neighbours mind, but you know what I mean !

[mrgrimsdale]

Or further SW into cider country for a foody fair. Spend all day having local cheese, meat pies, nice bread, local cider, micro-brewery beers etc.
Let us know when where - we could all might turn up and pretend to buy your things, draw a crowd etc.

cheers
Jacob

[tusses]

hmmm... now that sounds like a plan !