What a disappointing weekend!
The weather was absolutely gorgeous, and the country show I was at in Althorp, Northampton attracted plenty of people over the 2 days. But the customers didn’t seem to be spending much, they just wanted to look. All the other stall holders said the same, and I don’t think any of us made the huge profit that we were hoping for in such nice weather! I made some good sales that I was pleased about, but didn’t quite cover my costs at the end of it all.
The show was in the grounds of Althorp House, where Princess Diana is buried. It’s an extremely impressive place, we might go back there in July to visit the house when it opens to the public.
I had a good spot in one of the marquees, with my usual ‘L’ shape displayed next to the entrance.
I’m still staying positive, and hope things pick up at my next show. The trouble with doing most fairs is that they are all risks – you never quite know how they will turn out. I’m looking forward to a craft fair I’ll be doing on 26th & 27th June in the walled garden of Castle Ashby in Northamptonshire. It will be three huge marquees full of handmade crafts only, so the members of the public who visit this event will be expecting to see handmade products, and will know that is what they are going for!
Sorry you had a bad weekend, Charlotte. I did a local school fair on Saturday and took a total of £7.99!! There were no kids supporting it at all!!
Fortunately, a good fair in Hove on Sunday made up the loss but it could have been a really great weekend! As you say, craft fairs can be really hit and miss, fortunately most of the time the other stallholders can turn it into a fun day out as it is great to meet other crafters.
Good luck with your next fair – as you say, maker only fairs do at least tend to bring out the people who want to buy handcrafted goods rather than cheap bought-in stuff.
Ali x
Sorry to hear about the bad day – at least it was in a gorgeous place.
Would you be interested in contributing to this new series I'm writing – Craft Fair Advice Sounds like you have lots of experiences to share.
You just can't tell can you? Your display looks pretty impressive! Good luck with the next one x
That seems to be the thing at the moment…looking and not buying! Hopefully Castle Ashby will be different. See you there babe.
Sorry about the bad day Charlotte but it was an opportunity to be seen and you never know what connections you might make in the future from it. Hopefully people will remember you