The wonders of twitter then came in to force, I tweeted out to my followers whether anyone had any tips on how to get a craft fair going, and to make it a success.  Now, I am lucky enough to be a volunteer room guide at Stoneacre, and the tenant there, Lou, tweeted me that she was keen to have a craft fair at the house, and as we were both new to this, perhaps we should join forces.  So we did, and what an expereince it was.

I really wanted to write this blog, firstly so that in years to come, I will read it back and remember what happened, and secondly, to motivate other people to set up fairs, or even just to be a part of one.

This isn’t meant to be a step by step guide on how to set up a craft fair, there are lots of websites out there that can help with that.  But I wanted to share my key learnings with whoever takes the time to read this blog.

Key Priorities

Venue – choosing somewhere that is easily accessible, has plenty of parking, and has enough space to hold a good number of stalls.

Stalls and Prices – Advertise stall space on crafters sites and Stall Finder, it generates a lot of interest.  But be brave, and if you see a crafter that you like the work of, email them and ask – it’s always nice to be told your work is good and to be invited to an event.  Don’t be afraid to put a fair price on stalls, we charged £8 and the general consensus was that was very reasonable.  As this was our first fair, we wanted to keep prices slightly under average, to get people interested.  We also charged people on entry to attend the fair, including a “free soft drink”, as Stoneacre is a special property, we were able to do this – in a village hall it may put people off.

Advertising – Spend money wisely on advertising, there are lots of free ads out there, but paying to put an advert in a paper that has a wide readership can be key in getting people to turn up – we paid for the Kent Messenger Whats On, and the Wealden Times.  We also paid to have fliers and posters printed distributing them far and wide around the county.  If there is a next time, it may be worth trying to get a printing freebie – allowing the printers to put there logo/name on the fliers in return.

Public Liability – Don’t forget the insurance! There are quite a few insurers that will cover one off events, so shop around.  Village halls and the like probably have their own which is included in the cost of hire, but don’t forget to ask.

Set Up – On the day, make sure tables and chairs etc are set up and labelled, ready for the stall holders.  Email them any important details before the event, when to arrive, what they need to bring, where they should park etc.

Feedback – asking stallholders for feedback after the event is important – especially if you want to hold another fair.  We found out some really interesting things from the feedback we received, which will help us improve the fair for next time.

One example was “All my fellow stallholders in our room echo my sentiments of how well the event was organised promoted and how welcoming you and our hosts were” – always nice to hear you have done a good job!

and lastly, Attitude - being polite, courteous and helpful will always result in happy stallholders, and happy visitors.

I think the main thing I learned is that the crafting community is full of talented people who make beautiful pieces, and it is so much fun, and so fulfilling watching people perusing and purchasing local handmade goods.

Here’s a photo of me during one of the few times I was actually behind my stall (be prepared to work hard when helping to organise a craft fair, you don’t stop for most of the day).

Have fun, be nice, work hard and everyone will have a good time with you.

Well, mission complete – I sold more than one item and had a fantastic evening.  People were very complimentary about our crafts, and I made a profit so happy all round! Will definitely do another craft fair next year.  Thank you to everyone who popped by and said hello.

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Well, this year I have taken the plunge and decided to take Crafted By Katie to a Christmas Craft Fair.   This has resulted in mild anxiety and a few weeks of creative block, but I’ve finally managed to pull myself together and get some designs underway to take to the fair – these will be posted soon!

It has always been one of my goals to have a stall at a craft fair, so I am really pleased that I am finally doing it, and that Laura and her mum Pauline will also be there with their crafts for support (Laura makes Christmas wreaths and candles and Pauline runs Cut and Sew Maidstone making gorgeous fabric and knitted items).

My goal for the event is to make just one single sale – this may sound a bit strange and that I am setting my sights too low, but actually just one person appreciating the cards that I make will totally make my day!

So, if you are a lady and are free next Thursday to come to Canterbury to get into the festive spirit with some crafts, mulled wine and mince pies, come by and say hello!

The event has a Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=152670044828902

Date; 24th November

Time; 19.15

Where; The Canterbury High School, Knight Avenue, Canterbury, Kent.