Today's festival booth sales.

Today was my annual booth at a local small town festival. I only do this one time a year. Weather was great and the crowd was great as well. When I first started doing this (about 15 years ago) I had all woodworking items in my booth however the past several years I switched things around and used the booth to advertise my photography business. I want to get back to using the booth to sell crafts and woodworking items. Today I took along a box full of pens and although I only sold about 6 of them, a toothpick holder and a perfume pen, I got great feedback from people as to what they liked the best. Oh, also sold a set of darts that I made about 6 or 7 years ago but could never sell. Anyway it's always a very long day (without any breaks) and I'm glad it's over but it has inspired me to get out and have a real plan for next year. Booth expense goes up next year as well so I got to have items that sell.
Anyway....I'm tired now....time to rest up.

"Show days" are a lot of work, but they can also be a lot of fun. Sounds like yours was both, Tom. Congrats on the sales.

Glad to hear your day was a success Tom. Those things are exhausting and it's hard to stay keen near the end of the day, but sounds like it paid off.

Want some free advice? Make a few notes now, while it's fresh, along the lines of "what went well" and "what I'll do differently next time". It pays off. In my case, my memory's good, it's just short

The following was written by a ghost.

I did a couple shows a couple hundred years ago when my hobby was leather craft. I wasn't pooped at the end of the day---I was dead.

Recuperate and Enjoy,

JimB

Congratulations for the outcome of the festival, those festivals are not common here, I hope that sales paid off for the fee, and if not at least they made you be known and you'll see the result next year.

It is tiring but meeting folks and making sales is really exciting. Glad your day was successful

I do a weekly Farmer's market in downtown in the city... it's lots of fun, but also lots of work... makes for an early day start and usually leads to a long night... the cost is reasonable and usually the crowds are pretty good... sales this week were down a little, really expected more as it was a home game and one of the bigger games for the college... we had lots of out of town visitors who usually are my best customers, but I guess most were partying getting ready for the big game...best thing was, my son was up from Texas and sat with me for the day... we had a great visit, not interrupted by too many customers... but by the end of the day, we were both tired... now this morning I have to go and unload the truck.

Well yesterdays booth has started to show even more results. I had a guy stop by the booth yesterday and he was looking over my pens. He had told me that he used to make them but hadnt for several years now due to health problems he was having. Well he had picked up my business card before he left and today he called and asked if I would be intrested in buying his pen making supplies. I hate to see anyone who has to give up something they enjoy doing but he made me a deal that I could not refuse. Many new kits, blanks, mandrel, bushings, polish. He wanted to hold onto his lathe (I didnt need it anyway) but his garage was packed full of other goodies that I could see so I told him to hold onto my number....just in case. It's been a good day!

Good days, long days, I'd be happy even with the bad/off days, I'm a people watcher and at times it can be quite an adventure in & of itself, some w̶e̶i̶r̶d̶,̶ ̶o̶d̶d̶,̶ ̶s̶t̶r̶a̶n̶g̶e̶ ̶&̶ ̶c̶r̶a̶z̶y̶ lets just say 'different' type of folk out there Definitely sounds like it was a great day Tom...here's to more like 'em