Getting ready for an art festival means preparing ahead of time. I have storage containers for my work protected with bubble wrap, as well as books. There is a box for supplies, including scissors, tape, S-hooks, carabiners, pens, pencils, tablecloths, business cards, and a cash box.
The day before, Michael had arranged and packed the car perfectly, including folding tables and flat metal grids for hanging work. Two were purchased, and one was leftover from the chicken run. Guess which one works best? Storage bins are stacked on top, along with two chairs, the tent, and the dolly cart for hauling to the site.
Saturday, August 2, we attended the Waterfront Art Festival in Escanaba, Michigan, sponsored by the Bonifas Art Center. It was held at Lundington Park on the shore of Little Bay de Noc, which is located in the Upper Peninsula, in the area of Lake Michigan. It is a beautiful location and the weather was perfect.
Even though it is a two-hour drive, we always forget it is in the Eastern time zone. We still arrived in plenty of time to register, received a treat of two doughnuts, found our spot, and set up, which took about an hour and a half. The tent goes up first, followed by two tables: one for small artwork and the other for books. There's also an email sign-up for my newsletter and small signs with price information. I hung the metal grids from three sides of the tent. However, the s-hooks we brought were too small to fit the purchased grids, but they did fit the panel from the chicken run.
I had to improvise to finish hanging the work. One challenge is knowing how much to bring and selecting which pieces. One mistake I made was hanging a panel toward the front of the tent, although it caught people’s attention, my pieces were subject to the sun, and people didn’t necessarily walk in to see the rest.
It is important to greet visitors in my tent and thank them for stopping. Sometimes, it's best to let them look quietly. I respect that. If they have questions, they will usually ask, and then we will have a conversation.
Personal connections happened when someone looked at a painting and shared a memory, story, or their reaction to the piece, which was meaningful to me.
Michael and I both noticed how receptive and engaging most art lovers were at the festival. It was an experience we appreciated. At the end of the day, we packed up, realized how exhausted we were, and left everything in the car to unload the next day.
Participating in fairs and festivals provides an opportunity to gain insight into the collaborative spirit of the community that hosts the event. The organizers, artists, volunteers, and art lovers who show up to make their rounds and visit the booths. It’s humbling as we are “a small cog in the wheel”.
I have already made a list of the improvements I need to make for the next one. I remind myself it is truly about making connections!
What do you enjoy about visiting art festivals? I would love to hear how you make connections with the vendors.
