This past weekend was the Mother's Day Craft show in Bethlehem. It was up on Main Street. Hands down this show and I have a love/hate relationship. I love the sales and hate the weather. Saturday the show is typically slower and my sales were off by about half from previous years.
I knew that this economy crunch was going to effect us crafter but I think that this kind of show in particular may be the hardest hit. Most of the people there are two dimensional artists (think $1200 paintings), photographers, and jewelers. There are potters and a few other fine crafters like myself, but it is much more an art show than anything else. I think that some people don't want to be reminded of their financial problems by "window shopping" high end fine arts and crafts.
Saturday night the wind came. We survived it, but many, many others didn't. There was rampant wind damage with some people loosing their expensive ($1000) tents, not to mention their work. I counted at least a dozen with major damage. Some even had to come in the middle of the night to get their things that were strewn all over the street. When we got there we just packed and left. To me there is nothing worse than loosing the tent and displays to weather when you can make an informed decision and avoid it. Sometimes storms sneak up, but when you know what you are going to be against, sometimes it isn't right to fight it. I hope that the people who stayed did really well and made lots of money.
So I apologize to anyone who braved the wind on Sunday to come find me, only to find an empty space. I just couldn't do it. I couldn't risk having to buy another tent, and I couldn't risk my safety and the safety of the customers. Wind is dangerous. I'll take rain over wind any day.
No comments:
Post a Comment