I went to a craft show yesterday that was just awful. The turn out was terrible, from 12:30 to 1:30 there was nobody but vendors in the place. Plus, the a/c was on, so we were really cold. I mean sweaters and shivering cold. They also did not have any concessions, which is usually a good fundraiser, and the drink machines were out of service. Overall, I have to say one of the worst shows I've done.
I think the organizers had a good idea. They had an all-you-can-eat pancake breakfast that included pictures with Santa, and this was REALLY well attended, nobody was shopping and some didn't even know there was a craft fair too. They also organized a small concert by one of the middle schools. So, they had activities to draw people, but these were aimed at parents, not craft fair shoppers.
I was also disappointed by the lack of organization. I never received a confirmation that I was in, so I had to call the lady about set up times. When I arrived, the organizer had gotten me confused with someone else and given my booth to someone else. There were some other problems and it just didn't go well.
It was lesson learned for me. If they don't even have a method to communicate with you, such as an application, don't do the show. All she had was my name, no phone number and no email. I hope they learned a few things, but we were not asked for feedback, so I doubt it.
There were a few vendors that this was their very first show and I truly hope that they do not decide not to do any more shows. Many are well organized, widely advertised, and well attended. Hopefully, next weekend will be a more enjoyable experience.
