PART 2: What’s on my Craft Fair / Craft Show Checklist?

First, I need to make a disclaimer. I started typing this blog post the week before the craft fair, but after the fair was over, I did add a few things to the list. I’ve done lots of craft fairs / art shows, and it doesn’t matter how many I’ve done… I always forget something!

Please feel free to add to this list in the comments section.

But here’s our checklist for the craft fair my friend Dodi and I participated in this week:

THE BIG STUFF

• Cooler with drinks (see text message above)
• Folding chairs (also above)
• Tables and table cloths
• Signs to let people know what your business is called or what your pricing system is
• Backdrops like a tent, a lattice wall, or plywood — for my booth, I’m making a tri-fold cardboard backdrop
• Food, like cold sandwiches (to save on overhead costs)
• A small trash can (I almost always end up needing one)
• Displays (like hanging racks, shelving, or quilt racks)
• Lighting (if needed) and other electrical equipment, plus extension cords

THE SMALL STUFF

• Business cards with your social media info
• Cash box with money for making change, like you would use for a yard sale
• Photocopied fliers to advertise your business
• Scissors, masking tape, duct tape, string, hangers, tacks, hooks, nails, hammers (depending on what you want to build for a backdrop structure)
• The goods you plan to sell (obviously)
• 2 black Sharpie markers for writing prices — the extra one is for when the ink runs out!
• Extra price tags
• Weights (like paperweights) for when a gust of wind comes up
• Cell phone (to call your kids when you realize what you forgot to bring)

ON YOUR PERSON

• Wear gloves and a coat during cold weather; wear layers you can take off in warm weather
• Always bring an umbrella when outdoors — in warm weather it provides shade; in wet weather it provides a dry spot
• Dress business-casual
• Apron, shirt, or jacket with business logo (I saw other crafters with this and thought it was genius!)
• Sunscreen
• Chapstick
• Hand lotion — I had planned to bring this but forgot it, and Dodi really needed some!

As I said earlier in this blog post, please feel free to add to the list by leaving a comment.

POST SCRIPT — HERE’S WHAT WE FORGOT!

My booth was designed to advertise my web page, and I was planning three sections: one for playscale dolls; one for 18″ dolls; one for mini-sized dolls.

For the 18″ dolls, I couldn’t find an outfit that matched the patterns I’d made for my website. In my frustration, I actually forgot to bring the 18″ doll all together!

So I had to run home in the middle of setting up to throw together this doll and her outfit (which I’m sorry to say, I did not design, but it was all I had):

My friend Dodi was my booth partner. She’s the owner of Dodi’s Shop of Stuff (miniatures) on eBay. You should go check her out! Her doll shoes are to die for, and they’re rare, hard-to-find shoes that will fit the flat-footed Barbies from the late 1980’s. But these shoes also fit Liv dolls, which is why I’m a big fan!

It’s October in Idaho, where we live, and the craft fair building’s doors were constantly opening and closing. So the other thing we wish we’d thought of was reserving a booth with electrical outlets, so we could plug in a space heater.

Brrr! We were chilly!