3/6/2026

Scary Year Lined Up

I have seven fairs lined up over the next three months. On the wait list for two more. This is my first year doing this, and we'll see if I have the energy to put up and take down all of the stuff. I'm 62, and will be doing this alone. The alone part's fine with me, but the work is daunting. I did several local craft fairs last year, sold very little but learned a lot. The booth shot is critical. I never would have guessed that.

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Wendell MyersHuman-Made ArtMar 6, 2026

62 is very young! I bet you can do it!! Best of luck to you!

Cheryl Dawn Photography Human-Made ArtMar 7, 2026

Thanks. When I did this in the fall, and set up in my living room for the booth shot, my body sure felt 62. haha

Bill RichardsMar 23, 2026

Seven fairs in three months is ambitious — huge respect for diving in headfirst! The fact that you already learned the booth shot lesson puts you ahead of most first-timers. Doing it solo is tough but also freeing — you make every call. Wishing you great crowds and sales this season!

Monica PostellHuman-Made ArtMar 11, 2026

I’m a spry, active 76 and do 4 to 5 shows a year. My biggest advice is to have a team for set up and take down. ‘It takes a village’ is no lie! The tent isn’t too heavy to manage nor are the Flourish Walls. But it’s nearly impossible to open the tent alone. Likewise unpacking and hanging the art takes time. I have 2-3 girlfriends who help me. I wouldn’t consider doing a show alone unless it was in my building or on my own lawn. 🤣

Cheryl Dawn Photography Human-Made ArtMar 15, 2026

Hey Monica. That's great for 76! I just hope I have that kind of energy now. haha. And I'm traveling for all of my shows, so my girlfriends won't be there to help. But I am determined, so there's that. :)

Catherine AdamkiewiczMar 7, 2026

You can absolutely do it! I'm 61 and, while I do have my husband working with me, I have done around 25 shows per year for the past three years. Just set up today for our 8th show of 2026. You'll get stronger and more resilient as you get more experience. You've got this!

Cheryl Dawn Photography Human-Made ArtMar 7, 2026

Thank you. It isn't easy setting up the Flourish tent. I don't have any trouble with the propanels, ,or anything else, for that matter. That tent is a beast. 25 shows. Wow, that's a lot. It must be going well, or you wouldn't still be doing that many. Good luck to you!

Mary PlandingHuman-Made ArtMar 9, 2026

Cheryl - I'm 70... and last year I started with a Flourish tent (that got destroyed by a drunk driver). My sister and my grand nephew rehearsed with me several times before the season started so we got organized. What we finally figured out to make it easier and faster was:

- Marking each of pieces with painter's tape / writing what part of the tent it was, so for instance: the back roof rod was marked: Roof back, roof side, roof front, etc. And the StaBars (upper and lower), and the French wall. Ditto for the connectors.
- Then, we had different bags and put all the parts for one section in each. So all the lower StaBars went in one, the upper StaBars in another, the steel roof parts in another, the bendable roof parts in another. That way we only took out what we were working on. It kept us from getting confused. It reduced our set up time from 2 hours to 45 minutes, doing it that way. It also reduced the amount of weight in each bag making them easier to transport. Good luck!

Cheryl Dawn Photography Human-Made ArtMar 9, 2026

Wow, Mary. Those sound like great ideas! I'll have to try them. Thank you! 😊

Monica PostellHuman-Made ArtMar 11, 2026

Another good idea related to labeling is to number all the elements/bags… so they all go! I forgot to bring my outer walls to a show last summer and had to take down my art every evening because there was no way to secure the tent. I spent a lot of time bemoaning my stupidity and kicking myself. Now each bag has the full list of bags that should be brought with a check mark for which bag it is.

Brian SakHuman-Made ArtMar 6, 2026

Good luck to you. I'm in the same boat as you. I've signed up for 13 between May and December, and I'm waiting to hear back from three more. This is my first time doing any type of art/craft faire, and I'll be 66 in 10 days! Like in a previous post, it's a huge upfront cash-suck which makes me a little nervous. I'm not worried about setting up and taking down by myself. Note that these are all local shows, and the only photography I'll be displaying was taken local (or I should say regionally). I live in a very touristy place, so I'm hoping that helps. Will keep everyone here posted.

Cheryl Dawn Photography Human-Made ArtMar 7, 2026

Thank you. Good luck to you, also. Where you are will probably do great. Where I live is not at all touristy. Or artsy. There is one really good festival here, but I didn't get in. haha. I'll be traveling for all of mine, so that will also figure into the cost. I sure hope I come out ahead.

Brian SakHuman-Made ArtMar 7, 2026

I think you'll do fine looking at your images. One of the things I did, based on my daughter's suggestion who loves going to festivals, is to make sure I have plenty of smaller, less expensive items with my photos like greeting cards, magnets, and stickers. If I sell enough of those, with a pretty high profit margin, and a few larger prints now and then, I'm hoping to at least come close to breaking even by the end of the year.

Cheryl Dawn Photography Human-Made ArtMar 7, 2026

Thank you for the vote of confidence. ☺️ None of the shows I’m going to allow any kind of merchandise I didn’t make myself. I do have some boxes of note cards, so I’ll have those.