I got the craft show letter in the mail today............

[soccermom]

And I freakin flipped out!! I am soooooooo happy but yet soooooooo stressed already- and it is a Christmas show at the end of November! I applied for this a while back and never heard back. The lady kept telling me "I need to focus on placing my vendors from last year first." I was like blah, blah, blah but then today the letter came!!!! And then it hit me---- NOW WHAT???? This will be my first show- the show averages at the least 18,000-20,000 people per show. Why am I already stressed out??? I feel like I am already behind and this is months away! What now??????? I feel like I have a split personality LOLOLOL- one of me is like "yeahhhhhh" and the other one of my is like "what have you done now?" Who does shows this big? Please help!!!!!

[Mommy2Ava]

YAY!!!!!!

[soccermom]

Originally Posted by Mommy2Ava

YAY!!!!!!

LOL- I am not seeing this as YAYAYAYAYYYY! hehe! I am freakin stressed already! I think I have jumped into something too fast.

[Mommy2Ava]

You have plenty of time!! You can do it!!!

[funybuny]

Me and my girlfriend are looking into doing a holiday show. They say around 10,000 people attend - that's big enough for me!!!

Good luck!! Sit your butt down, make a list of what you need, and get to making bows!!!!!!!!!

[bellawheezer]

Congrats to you!!! I am applying to craft shows right now ... and This info helps ... thanks!!!!

[savannahsmom]

So happy for you Good luck

[AdrisMommy]

I had a 3 day craft show back in April. This is my advice: I would like your biggest selling colors (for me it was white, hot pink, brown, black.) I think these are the hardest to find colors. Imade at least 4 in each of those colors for each size that I do and 2-3 of all other colors of ribbon I had in stock. I don't make clippies, so I can't say how many you should ahve of those, but they DO NOT sell in my area. I do make the big alyered bows and I made about 25 for my show and sold htem all for at elast $14 each and took special orders for about 10 more. I would just have a big assortment of what you are able to do. And I took credit cards--I felt that it let people spend more!!! Especially around Christmas! i had alot of people stop by to get birthday presents, so you will have lots getting Christmas presents. THat's my 2 cents. Hope it helps!!! I won't be able to do my Christmas show I ussually do this year-- I will be 9 months preggo then!

CONGRATULATIONS!!!!! ANd Good Luck and you will do fine!! I agree with the assembly line idea. You know what sells in your area, so go with your gut!!

[soccermom]

WOW!! Wonderful advice!! I sat down last night and came up with a list! The lady from the show called me a few minutes ago!! She has upgraded me to a corner booth near SANTA CLAUS!!!! So now I will have more display room and room for people to walk into my booth rather than just seeing the table. Also-the front of the booth has a large walkway--almost like a divider b/t the sections of all the vendors!

I have my list of what to sell- I guess I need to search here for some bags for my products. I need these for my home parties as well so I need to order them now. I will check all the links we have discussed here before.

Any other recommendations??? Oh--and how much inventory should I be planning on for that many people?? I know they all won't need clothing or bows but I need to be prepared.

[Amber427]

I'm so excited for you- I almost peed my pants!!

My next show is in October. My biggest of the season. I just finished purchasing all my materials for it this week.

I agree with variety. You also need ALOT of bows. (You can make like 9-10 of each, just dont set them all out at one time) Make alot of the seasonal bows too.

Maybe even offer gift wrapping for an extra charge. (I would get that!) Like a cute little baggie with tissue paper. That way they can still shop with little ones and no one sees what they bought.