2010 will bring more eco-friendly changes to the craft show and festival scene.  Event organizers, vendors and festival goers are trying new methods to reduce their carbon foot print.

We love selling at craft shows, art fairs and festivals.  Meeting buyers face-to-face is a terrific way to learn about your customers.  But, there are many additional sales channels you can use to supplement your festival income.  Check out the list of venues below and let us know which ones work best for you.

Try out the free 60 day trial offered by Constant Contact in partnership with FairsandFestivals.net.  Go to http://www.constantcontact.com/index.jsp?pn=fairsandfestivals.

Making a commitment to freelancing means making a commitment to yourself. To succeed on any freelance site you must be persistent, prepared and professional. To succeed on any freelance site you must make the commitment to doing the best job that you can possibly do on each and every assignment.

Email.  Everyone seems to have it.  Is it a solution that can help you with your business?  Try out the free 60 day trial offered by Constant Contact in partnership with FairsandFestivals.net.  Go to http://www.constantcontact.com/index.jsp?pn=fairsandfestivals.

In some cultures, haggling is expected. For instance, visit a souk in Egypt or elsewhere in the Middle East; if you don’t haggle, the stall vendor is offended. However, visit a comparable stall in Japan and try to haggle, and you’ll do well if the vendor doesn’t ask you to leave. Haggling is largely a cultural thing, but it is increasing in incidence in the US. This is particularly true in the art and craft fair environment. How do you successfully negotiate with customers? How do you ensure that you get the profit you need and deserve, while still making the customer feel as though he or she got a great deal?

Taking the time up front to ensure you meet all legal requirements for your food , craft or art booth business will save you time and money in the long-run. The three areas to pay attention to are:

  * Licenses
  * Permits
  * Taxes

Attending a fair or festival as a vendor is a unique experience and one that certainly helps to reinforce the fact that small businesses are the backbone of the nation. However, staying at the fair for too long can certainly induce some traumatic, though amusing, side effects. How do you know if you’ve stayed too long at that fair or festival? Here are some of the top ways to determine if you’ve overstayed at the fair!

No matter what type of fair or festival you attend, you’ll find that you have to deal with promoters, also known as event organizers. Knowing how to deal with these individuals will help ensure that you have a smooth, enjoyable experience and that you’ll be more likely to have a prime spot next year.

In order to sell funnel cakes, regardless of the venue, you will need to know and adhere to your local and state ordinances. In this, the final installment of this series, you’ll find out what types of licenses and permits are required to sell your funnel cakes at sporting events and fairs around the state. This article utilizes the state of Oklahoma as an example, but you will need to check with your state’s regulatory board for specifics that apply to you. However, these examples will give you a firm grasp of the situation.

If you intend to take advantage of the extremely lucrative funnel cake business, you’ll need to have some very specific equipment, as well as the right venue. This article will help you determine what equipment you need, as well as where you can sell your funnel cakes.

Funnel cakes are almost synonymous with outdoor events, from high school sports games to fairs and festivals all around the nation. These fried, golden, delicious pastries have become a staple of life in almost any outdoor event imaginable and can be the key to starting your own successful concession business. In this 3-part series, you will learn more about funnel cakes, as well as enjoy detailed information about the equipment you’ll need to get started, pricing and profitability specifics and even what licenses are needed and how to obtain them.

Everyone needs some technology nowadays, just to make it through the everyday situations you face. However, fair and festival vendors face some unique challenges, not the least of which is a need to reduce spending in order to maximize profitability. Thankfully, there are some excellent options in the form of free technology out there to help you make ends meet. What options do you have?

As a crafter, it is absolutely essential that you know what is selling in the current market. What are the most profitable crafts items for fall 2009? How do you determine what these items are, how much they will be worth to you and whether or not you should invest in crafting them?

Fall is in the air, school is back in session and you’re gearing up for those fall festivals. Whether you are a crafter or just love the experience of attending these festivals, browsing stalls and enjoying the cool fall weather, this is a wonderful time of year. You get to enjoy great company, fun and games and experience some of the yummiest fall festival foods. In fact, for many people, it’s the food that makes the festival, in some ways. What are the most popular fall festival foods?

Send us your best festival, craft show, and art show pictures and we’ll award $100 per month for the funniest, most unusual, beautiful, and great photos we receive. 

Did you manage to capture your husband’s face when he went round the ‘Loop da Loop,’ get a picture of your precious little girl riding an elephant, or capture the delight of grandma a she finishes off a funnel cake? 

Maybe you have pictures of your art, your booth, or your business that our visitors would like to see.  Enter as often as you like.  One winner will be chosen per month to receive a $100.00.  Read Official Rules and Regulations for more information.

Have you ever considered yourself a revolutionary?  America is undergoing a new Revolution and it is being driven by independent businesses like you.  Most Americans are not aware of the huge impact craft shows, art fairs, and festivals have on our economy.  According to a report by the Small Business Administration small businesses represent 99.7% of all employer firms, they generate between 60 to 80% of the new jobs each year and are the fastest growing exporters.

1. You get a manicure and then, cover it in indigo ink.

2. You complain that cards are $4.99 and then go home to make one with $9 in supplies.

3. You have more paint than cereal in the cupboard.

The process of getting a new merchant account can be pretty intimidating. There’s a lot of information out there about merchant accounts and most people don’t have time to wade through all of it before getting a new account. If you’re that person, this tutorial is for you. If you’re pressed for time, here’s the vital information that you need to know before, during and after you get a new merchant account.

Garbing for Renaissance Faire

So you want to dress for Ren. Faire and you don’t know where to begin? Or maybe you want to join a guild, but don’t know how to get started? Starting your costume for Renaissance Faire will get you noticed for guilds and start you on a path to the Renaissance Faire world. It is also a great way to join in on the fun at your local Faire. Here are some ways to help you find the right garb.

Art licensing is an important area in the licensing world. It can help improve an artist’s exposure to the world and subsequently help increase his income as well.

Staycations are ‘in’ this summer.  Economists predict more families will vacation at home this year and spend their entertainment dollars locally.  Affordable and family oriented fairs and festivals are expected to see an increase in attendance.  Specifically fairs and festivals with minimal admission expense and free entertainment will do well.  The hot selling items are going to be handmade, unique and meaningful.  Items that promote the environment and provide value will do better than pretty gadgets.  Read more

A Merchant Account is not really an “account” but it is rather a contract where an acquiring bank lends credit to a merchant that wishes to accept credit card payments. In essence, it is the ability for a business to accept credit cards with a form of credit protection from a bank as payments for services rendered. In the information age, consumers now expect to pay for products and services with their credit cards. Business owners will lose out if they do not cater to their customer’s expectations.

Having sold at varied events for over twenty years, ranging from flea markets, renaissance faires, wine festivals, conventions, and private gatherings, we can say this business method is a viable, oftentimes lucrative money making option if one is willing to research, organize, maintain stock and vehicles, drive distances, acquire people skills, and to exert the physical strength necessary to set up and tear down a booth within a limited amount of time. Yes, to say it’s hard work is an understatement, but the almost guaranteed fast flow of cash makes it all worthwhile. Selling on the road requires preparation months or years in advance but the result is well worth the effort.

You’ve heard of New York City, Kansas City, Park City, even The Emerald City. But have you ever heard of Festival City?

Edmonton, Alberta has trademarked the name Festival City, and with good reason. With over 30 high-profile annual festivals held throughout the year, Edmonton has perfected how to showcase the arts, sports, culture, food and beverage, and business opportunities while maximizing the economic impact on the city. Millions of visitors, and millions of infused dollars later, Edmonton has established itself as the number one Canadian city for festivals and special events. Internationally, communities that are planning a new event or festival look to Edmonton as an example and case study. Festival City has already done the homework.

In a time when economic times are tough, one bright spot is craft shows, fairs and festivals. In the second quarter alone, local festivals impacted the local economy and brought in an estimated $4.1 Billion to United States neighborhoods, according to the Craft Organization Directors Association (CODA). Not only do craft shows financial asset to economies, but the events rekindle the foundation that supported societies for decades: local arts and crafts.

Making money by selling your original craft creations is a great achievement and provides a great feeling.  You will make even more money as you gain experience and begin doing juried shows.  What is a juried craft show?  It is a craft show in Utah that has some sort of application requirements in order to participate.  Your crafts will be judged and you will have to be selected in order to be able to sell your crafts at this type of craft shows in Utah.  There is more work involved and, of course, a greater reward for your efforts.

Do you ever stop to think about how lucky you are?  Living in Hawaii, one of the most beautiful places on earth, and having your crafting business that allows you to make money doing something you love, are great in themselves.  That is a dream-come-true for most people and you are making it happen.  Of course, there are challenges still.  You have to learn all the ins and outs of running your own small business including how to build a following for your craft work so you can make money year round and not just at craft shows in Hawaii.

There are probably more craft shows in Florida each year than in the rest of the country combined.  Floridians love crafts—they love to create them and they love to buy them.  Plenty of eager tourists love to buy them too and they know that there is no better place to buy hand-made crafts than in Florida.  If you are building a craft show business or just thinking about getting started, rest assured that 2009 is going to be a great year for craft shows in Florida.

No matter how beautiful the arts and crafts you create may be, they will not make you any money until you learn the art of marketing your arts and crafts in Missouri.  If you continue to create arts and crafts without marketing them you will need a lot of storage space!  There are many ways to sell your arts and crafts in Missouri.

• Craft Shows—these usually require you to pay booth rental and to set up a display of your products.  The people coming to these shows are there to buy arts and crafts and so you have a targeted audience that is looking for what you have to offer.
• Online classified ads—these generally allow you to include a photo of your arts and crafts, a description and your contact information.  There are paid and free classified ads available online and some even allow you to target your local market in Missouri.
• Church Bazaars—these are much like the craft shows, but usually on a smaller scale.  They generally cost you less and you will probably be displaying your crafts on a folding table rather than in a booth: so you will have to work a little harder to make an attractive display.
• Online Auction Sites—sites such as eBay also allow you to include a photo, but generally charge a fee either based on a percentage of your sales or a monthly membership to join.
• Your own website—this requires setting up a website with a shopping cart feature and including photos and descriptions of all the products you have for sale.  You will also need to work on internet marketing in order to get your site a high search engine ranking that will drive potential customers to your site.

If you are thinking of whether to start a crafting business or whether you should continue your current crafting business and participate in craft shows in Wyoming for 2009, the answer is a resounding, “YES!”  Despite the difficult economic times that are affecting so many people in this country and around the world, the crafting industry is expected to do better than ever this year.  That may seem odd unless you know your economic history.  Think back to the Great Depression.  People either became very poor or very wealthy during those terrible times.  There are some businesses that actually do better during tough economic times and crafting has been one of them.

If there’s one thing you can count on from Texans, it is their individuality.  The Lone Star State has long been known for its uniqueness when it comes to arts, crafts and just about everything else.  It’s no wonder then that many Texans are making a few extra dollars, if not an entire business, out of creating unique crafts to sell at local craft fairs.  Texas craft fairs are unique in many ways including the food vendors you will find selling homemade chili or BBQ ribs instead of just the usual hot dogs and elephant ears you find in other states.  Of course, that means more napkins, but it also means more fun

More and more people are turning to a “buy local” mentality.  As people continue to lose jobs that have been outsourced to other countries, they are starting to wake up to the importance of creating a strong local economy.  The people in Ohio are certainly catching on to this trend and arts, crafts and other handi-work with the “Made in Ohio” logo are fast becoming easier and easier to sell.  And why shouldn’t it be?  Ohio crafters are known for their attention to detail and the very high quality they ensure in their products.  So how can you take advantage of this trend?

Making money selling arts and crafts in Montana requires a correct assessment of their actual cost and how much you would like to make an hour and then balancing those figures with an amount that people will reasonably spend for your items.  Once you know the actual cost per item you will be able to analyze how profitable it is to make these items and to look for simple ways to increase your profit margin.  Basically there are three ways to increase profits on your arts and crafts in Montana.

Learning what your vendors want is crucial to running a successful and profitable craft show in Pennsylvania.  Trying to please everyone can be a daunting task, but there are a few basic vendor requests that must be met to make your craft show a success and make as many people as possible happy.  There are a few basic things you can do to make your Pennsylvania (and out-of-town) crafters happy.

Oklahoma art and craft exhibitors are expected to do well in 2009 by capitalizing on the latest craft trends.  So, what are the hot craft trends for 2009 that will have your crafts selling out at every Oklahoma craft show?  The basic trend is a shift towards “green” crafts, things made from recycled or natural, renewable materials.  Another important trend is towards “feel good” crafts as opposed to “practical” items.

Crafters in Maryland know that they are in an uncertain business and that trends come and go in the blinking of an eye.  They also know that staying on top of these trends is the key to making crafts that make money.  Crocheted kitten toilet paper covers may be a fun craft to make, but they aren’t going to help you pay the electric bill in 2009.  You need to make crafts that people actually want in their homes even in today’s economic conditions, if you want to make a living crafting in Maryland.

It is easy to get a negative picture about the market outlook for craft shows in Louisiana if you spend too much time watching the news.  They keep talking about people not wanting to spend money and that kind of talk can depress you and make you want to give up, but the truth is that this analysis couldn’t be more wrong.  Yes, the economy is in a mess and people are cutting back, but not on everything.  There are some things that people actually buy more of during tough economic times and they are especially interested in buying things that make them feel good and forget their troubles in times like these.

Buying local goods and services helps to sustain the economy and keep people working.  Buying nationally or internationally produced goods from a local seller keeps more dollars in Vermont than buying through a national retail chain, but the best bet of it all is to buy as much locally produced and locally made stuff as possible.  With an increasing number of items being created in Vermont, this is slowly becoming easier to do.  Many people are already aware of the benefits of choosing locally grown produce, but buying locally made goods such as clothing, toys and handi-crafts, can also have a dramatic effect on the local economy.

If you are a crafter in Kentucky, there is reason to be very excited about this year’s fairs and festivals.  Craft fairs in Kentucky this year are likely to draw in larger crowds than ever before.  This means increased profit potential for you if you play your cards right.  Why would more people be attending craft fairs and festivals in 2009 when the economy is looking so bleak?  That is because people are looking for ways to lift their spirits and take their minds off the tough times they are experiencing. There cannot be a better way than attending a craft fair?

There’s a reason they coined the term “starving artist.” Selling art is a wholly different ballgame from creating it, but it is a necessary skill to learn if you want to pay the bills as an artist.  Learning a few basic sales skills is something that will make the whole process a lot easier and help you make art your full-time career, if that’s your goal.  Even if you just want to supplement your income on the side, you need to learn how to sell your artwork.

If you are a crafter in Georgia looking to start selling your crafts online, it is vital that you learn how to properly photograph your craft creations.  A good photograph marks the difference between selling your crafts and having potential customers click away to find these items somewhere else.  Of course, a good website design and good written content on your site are also important, but nothing is more important than good photographs of your crafts for getting them sold.  The same tips apply to selling your crafts on auction sites like eBay or using free online classified ads. The following points are sure to help you.

Owning a crafting business in Alabama is a great means to make extra money or make a career as long as you know how to maximize your profits.  There are several ways to improve your art and craft show profits in Alabama, but the basic ways are to reduce expenses, increase prices, increase sales and increase productivity.  Improving on one or more of these elements is the only way to make more money with your art and craft show business in Alabama.

While it is easy to recognize several of the financial beneficiaries of art and craft shows in Minnesota, their overall impact on the local economy is often underestimated.  Of course, the event promoters make money through booth rentals and ticket sales and the artists and crafters make a profit through selling their goods and services.  The impact, however, goes much further.

The art fair and festival season in Illinois will be busy in 2009.  Though the economy is down, customers are still buying items that provide small escapes and personal joy. Handmade arts and crafts are generally considered personal, local and green…all elements that still sell.  To prepare for the art fair and festival season in Illinois, you’ll want to follow these tips.

Building your art and craft business in Idaho can be both rewarding and challenging.  Building a “fan-base” for your art and crafts can improve your chances for success.  Devoted customers are eager to see your creations and will travel to see your work.  They will be your core group for special orders and your most valuable advocates.  Five elements to building your Idaho arts and craft fan-base are outlined below.

There are many advantages to doing art and craft fairs in Tennessee.  The people are warm and friendly and love to buy local hand-made items with a “down-home” feel.  A welcome sign is standard and that is the feeling you get from the people, welcome.  Art and craft fairs in Tennessee tend to draw large crowds and vendors of all types can do well.

The best way for New Jersey artists and crafters to ensure success is to create and follow a business plan.  If you treat your art or craft business like a hobby you will only make enough money to cover expenses and have some fun.  An art or craft business in New Jersey is just like any other business and needs a plan in order to be profitable.  Studies have proven the length of the plan is not important, only that you’ve written it down and follow it.  The business plan is the first and most important thing you need when you decide to take your art or craft business seriously.