Local Shows

Looking for an art or craft fair? Art and Craft fairs can be great places to sell your jewelry. I have done several craft fairs over the years. Some go well, some not so well. There are many factors that come into play. Right now the biggest issue is the economy. People just aren't spending money like they used to, and unfortunately jewelry is not seen as a necessity - it's more of a luxury, a nice to have, not a NEED to have. So that alone has put a damper on sales. You undoubtedly will have competition as well. There are a lot of us jewelry designers out there these days, so your jewelry needs to stand out from the crowd, especially if the fair you are at has a good amount of jewelry vendors…which can definitely hurt your sales!

Here's another thing to consider, your location in the fair. I guess you could look at this a few ways. We were at the tail end of a fair, in a hallway and not in the main gym. By the time people saw our booth it was "augh, not another jewelry booth" and no one was interested in buying. Some did look and had already bought at another booth, then realized our prices were more reasonable so we heard them saying "oh, I wish I wouldn't have bought this other item already" and they STILL didn't buy from us. It's hard to know the mentality of craft fair shoppers! Some will look first and go back for items they liked. We've noticed it's rare for people to come back. The larger the show the less likely they probably are, since they're too tired to walk all the way back. So the flip side would be they could be more likely to buy from you if you're near the end. Keep these things in mind, and it would be a good idea to find a show you have been to before where you have a feel for where the "choice" spots are and can try to request being in that area.

I did a smaller show for the first time in November 2009 and wasn't expecting much. It turned out that it was my best show. I did have competition, but not a whole lot of it, and I was excited to do it again the following year. I'm hoping to do it again in 2011. Make sure you promote the fair to your family and friends - add it to you e-mail signature so word about it spreads. There's nothing like going through the work of setting up for a show and having poor attendance…so it may also be a good idea to find out what their advertising strategy is as well.

Sometimes you find out about a craft fair when you see a sign posted at an intersection, or from word of mouth. Some online resources may make it easier though! So here is a long list of websites to help you find a show near you. You may find the quick links below helpful if you're looking for something in particular. Nation-wide Listings are for just that - comprehensive lists for events across the United States. Regional Listings - sites I found that list for just a few states or regions, or for just a certain "brand" of fair. Show Websites are for specific fairs. State Resources are sites sponsored by the state government's tourism board.

The following list is for Art and Craft Show listings/directories that are nationwide, regional or on an individual show basis. There is also another state listing below this table. Some of them are comprehensive listings for art and craft shows in their respective states. The state of WI does a great job with their directory - kudos to my state! Look in the nationwide listings for your state as well, as there may be more listings available elsewhere, especially the smaller venues.

If you know of any good venues, please become a member (it's free!) and add them!

State Listing

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