This past weekend we took a last minute chance on a local show.  It turns out there were a few spots open and we were “lucky enough” to get in.

It should be said that we have a standing rule of not attending a show that we have not previewed.  As it turns out, most all our rules are more like “guidelines” and often broken. In this case we were promised 15,000 people and the fee was only $75.00 for the one day event.   Add to that the show was only 45 minutes away and we were in.

In most cases, with well organized shows, spaces are assigned well in advance so when a vacancy appears it can be anywhere.  In the past we have sometimes lucked out to find ourselves in a very good spot.  At other times, not so lucky.

This weekend turned out to be one of the latter.  Our assigned spot was at the end of a dead end branch, added this year to accommodate more booths.

One problem with dead ends is the lack of traffic flow.  The street we were on turned out to be a branch, away from the main traffic.  The flow came to a T and the choice was to go left or right.  If you go  right you were sent along a busy roe toward the main festival area. The likelihood of people turning back to explore the left hand turn, after they had traveled all the way back around was slim.  In fact it looked as if there was much more going on to the right so naturally,  many more people were drawn in that direction.

Being at the end of a dead end is worse yet.  Often, show goers will not trudge all the way down a street if they sense a dead end or a relative lack of a crowd.  Many show goers turned back when only half way down the row.

Several of our neighbors could be heard complaining about lack of sales and our sales were only rescued by the sale of a big ticket item.

If a show is not really busy we often take turns checking out the grounds and touching base with the host of friends we have made over the years.

One couple, who we have known for many years was “lucky enough” to also find a spot at the last minute.  Their spot was right next to the food vendors, a spot we would never envy.  For what ever reason, when people get near food the sounds and smells tend to drown out all other senses and that means slow sales for crafters.

In both of these cases the sites were assigned at the last minute, a day or so before the show, and beggars can’t be choosers but there may have been a way to garner a more choice location.   Had we asked about any last minute cancellation that morning, we may have been rewarded with a better space.  I don’t think I have ever been to a show that did not have one or two spots open the morning of the show.  Promoters do not have time to go around offering better spots to all the vendors but if asked, they may have something that “just came up”.  Be frank with the person in charge but don’t make up any elaborate stories or you may not be invited to the show again.

Remember that the best way to get a good spot is to pay for it well in advance.