Top 9 Reasons to Attend a Craft Show

Spring is coming. Farmers' markets are opening soon and County Fairs will soon be putting up the tents. Between now and Christmas, it will be easy to find lists of open craft shows and festivals every week.

SO! This is the perfect time to lay out the best reasons why anyone would want to go to a craft show....

1. Free Entertainment. Walking around on a nice day beats sitting in a quiet park enjoying a good read.

2. Free Lunch. Usually there are several food vendors offering samples. Feel free to eat up! Don't be concerned with the signs that say 'one per person', and, 'no double dipping'. We all know the vendor has included the cost of the samples in the retail price of the item. You could buy it...but you don't need to buy it now because you are full.

3. Free Babysitting. Bring all of your children and send them down the aisle ahead of you. They gain important product info from all the merchandise by handling, ripping, throwing and hugging every single thing that strikes their fancy. You, the parent will know just which vendors are tolerant, angry or preparing an invoice to hand you when and if you catch up with the kids. It's relaxing to know the kids are annoying someone else for a change.

4. Free Guest Lectures. You are at liberty to expound on the any vendor's technique, comparing it nostagically with all the identical things your grandmother, sister, neighbor or you, yourself have made just exactly like the vendor....only different.

5. Price Comparison Skills. This is where you get to instruct the vendor about the pricing you have seen, or paid at Walmart for the 'same thing'.

6. Free Research. Bring your notebook so you're ready to write down all the answers to your questions like 'where do you buy your supplies?', 'how much did that cost to make?', 'do you make money?', and 'where can I learn to do this so I can make money too?'.

7. Take advantage of the backgound noise to continue an intimate conversation with your friend regarding your latest medical procedure while you absentmindedly flutter through all the items on a vendor's table; constructively blocking access for others who really are interested in buying something.

8. Samples! We already mentioned the food so now I'm referring to those vendors who put out samples of their products, hoping you'll like them so much, you may just buy something in the future. You can gather a lot of samples and put them in a basket to give as a birthday gift...now you don't have to buy anything! So ignore the signs that say 'one per person' and just tell the vendor you'll also take a couple for your neighbor, sister, grandmother or daughter too.

9. Ideas! Cruise around for the latest trends and ideas for your own production! Be sure to take notes and refer to #6 above.

So there you have it! Nine very good reasons to attend a show and enjoy the day!