There is nothing so frustrating in the world as a volunteer who isn't interested in volunteering..
Last year, I had so much trouble just getting volunteer 'organizers' to respond to me by e-mail that I was literally tearing my hair out..why is it that small town benefit-type fairs, which are mostly all I can afford, are run by people who are at best, disinterested, and at worst, totally incompetent? And, when I had the temerity to try and volunteer myself and all my experience with fairs (30+ years) I was rather bluntly refused..
Last year was one disaster after another, and the only way, seemingly, I could get into most of the ones I was trying for, was by phoning the 'co-ordinator' (and I use the term very, very loosely) and enduring several minutes, in one case running to half an hour, of what bitches everyone else on the committee is, and how they have to turn away dozens of people not in the 'catchment' area (shades of enrolling children in school) and how they can 'squeeze' me in, no, we can't let you pay by credit card, or personal cheque, you have to drive the 45 miles to where I am (at home!) and drop off the application and money..oh, okay, send the application and you can pay on the day of the craft fair..and that one in particular turned into a financial disater as well.
It was my first year, and of course, in trying a bit of everything, I found out what worked, and what didn't..and most of them didn't..
I had two fairs that were expensive to enter, and they had almost no visitors, and I sold literally nothing..
Thank goodness for my Duncan Farmer's Market..which now even has a Facebook Page, so getting very sophisticated around these parts..
At this juncture, think I'll stick to the tried and true two or three fairs, plus the Duncan Market, and leave the others to those in their own darn 'catchment', thank you very much....
Anyone out there in blogland have any holiday craft fair stories, wonderful or otherwise?
I typically don't go to craft stores as those items usually don't interest me...I partake in thrift stores, flea markets, estate sales and yard sales...but if it's any consolation...
ReplyDeleteIf I lived near you I would go with you just to give you support.
bunny
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ReplyDeletebunny, I appreciate your support!♥
ReplyDeleteMe too! I have a craft fair on October 16th. Handmade items only which I love b/c there's nothing worse than seeing people bringing stuff I know is from the dollar store!
ReplyDeleteJeanine
Even an adjudicated fair like mine has sneaks-early this season a woman was selling hats (cloth, vaguely stetson-y, but not the cowboy style) and i know for a fact they're made in China..she had somehow passed them off as handmade by her..I told one of the committee members about it, and she actually went to the woman and told her I was the one saying her stuff was manufactured..she came over and I thought she was gonna hit me (and I'm big-she was bigger!) but after that, she 'disappeared' from the fair..even craftspeople can be fooled!
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