Mark C. Posted April 10, 2021 Report Share Posted April 10, 2021 As a show board member we just voted to have our 48th annual North Country Fair on the 3rd week in September. Now we all know its up to the state,county and city to approve this down the line but we are moving ahead with the assumption that it will happen-we mailed and emailed out the apps and will make the final go or no go in late August. We are holding the funds until then so it will be easy to cancel the event if needed. I think shows in the fall will move forward as ours is. Summer shows are more iffy for sure.My guess some will happen and others will not and some will morph into smaller events Just a point of fact I had a potter friend do an out-of-state show over Easter weekend and the artists numbers where down a bit( this may be a whats ahead at all shows) but the crowd and the buying was way up-it was in a state that has poor mask up regs (if any now) and about 1/2 the public and 1/2 the vendors where masked. His sales where the best ever at this show he had done for many years(he had his shots long ago like me) Thats a glimpse of the future-the public was eager to get out and buy. I suspect this is a nation wide feeling, Pent up demand . I felt it at my small xmas sale last December (best ever in less days for past 38 years) As we get the shot in large numbers (my last shot was over a month ago) folks feel like getting out and back to normal do some degree. For fairs this means great turnouts . For us artists that means sales-and if there are less vendors that also means more sales for fewer people or a larger slice of the pie. My friend and I feel much better after the shot kicked in as long as we have masks on the public is less foreboding especially if they are masked. The shows I still like to do are all large open booths outside with me away behind a table in corner so not as much as a worry.One has no canopy the other is two canopies all open sided I have no indoor show anymore so thats a non issue. Looks like shows will come back strong in the future not a whimper like 1st thought. Now the delimea personally is what shows I still want to do as I do not need to do shows as my other sales outlets have really filled in the gaps. I like dealing directly with customers but moving forward I will only do the shows I really like and that are EASY to do. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Callie Beller Diesel Posted April 10, 2021 Report Share Posted April 10, 2021 So vaccine rollout is not proceeding at the same pace in Canada as it is in the US, but I do get the sense that if immunization is thorough by September, we can look forward to some very lucrative fall and Christmas seasons. The one show I was able to do last Christmas was my most profitable one ever, because people were missing things like visiting shows. I suspect that when we are able to move more freely, people are going to be making up for lost time. I think it’s worth preparing to have extra stock now in anticipation. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GEP Posted April 10, 2021 Report Share Posted April 10, 2021 I had one show that was tentatively scheduled for July, but they recently decided to cancel it. I am still optimistic for fall shows. I got my first vaccine shot this morning! The term I’m hearing is “revenge spending” meaning the third and fourth quarters of this this year are expected to be insane for retailers. Because consumers need to let it all out! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Callie Beller Diesel Posted April 10, 2021 Report Share Posted April 10, 2021 What I was encountering a bit last Christmas is that people who are still employed and have been working from home have some more disposable income to work with. They haven’t been able to travel or go to restaurants, they haven’t had to spend as much gas on commutes, etc etc etc. So even though they spent less than they might have overall, they were able to spend more on gifts. I had one gentleman who’s wife collects my mugs come in to get her one, and he wound up purchasing a good quantity of work. I told him he was being very thoughtful and generous, and he told me he felt he was getting off lightly. He is used to spending a lot more money on plane tickets home for Christmas, but since they weren’t doing that this year, he opted for his wife’s favourite pottery instead. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roberta12 Posted April 13, 2021 Report Share Posted April 13, 2021 One of the big shows in a ski area close to me is going ahead. Fewer vendors and seems like there may be some monitoring of numbers of shoppers, but they are definitely going ahead. That is Art in the Park in July at Steamboat Springs. I may do another driveway sale here at my house this summer, but I have a number of other ceramic projects ongoing. And my group of organizers will be going forth with planning for our Holiday show. I cannot make people wear a mask or get a vaccine, but I will take care of myself. And I think it will be fine! Roberta Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Smokey2 Posted April 13, 2021 Report Share Posted April 13, 2021 I'm doing a outdoor show on 4/24. I'll let you know how goes. FWIW - I got my second dose of the covid-19 vaccine on 4/6 and I'll still be wearing a mask Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GEP Posted April 15, 2021 Report Share Posted April 15, 2021 I am toying with the idea of a backyard pottery sale this summer, in place of the show that got cancelled. The way vaccinations are going here, I feel confident that 70 to 80% of the attendees would be vaccinated by mid-summer. My only doubt about this idea are the cicadas. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hulk Posted April 15, 2021 Report Share Posted April 15, 2021 Due to the sound, the rain, or both? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GEP Posted April 15, 2021 Report Share Posted April 15, 2021 3 hours ago, Hulk said: Due to the sound, the rain, or both? The constant shrill chirping is a problem. So is the crunch of stepping on dead cicada bodies everywhere. Not a fun time to be outside! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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