Kirkwood Town Fair with My New Pop-Up Tent

Well the shows are done for now, so I'm taking a 2 week break to regroup and start building my schedule for more shows starting in September through the end of the year.   I finished up the 3-day Kirkwood Town Fair late last night and spent today relaxing, napping and unloading the car. 

Last week I finally ordered a new commercial grade EZUP pop-up tent with walls (a must for me to shade the candles) with the money I made at the Broome Co Fair.  It didn't arrive until Friday morning, so I used a borrowed tent on Thursday.  We got the top canopy installed when it arrived, then folded it back up and packed it into the car to use Friday and Saturday. 

I arrived early to allow enough time to set it up at Kirkwood, but it was up in a flash.  I had some help stretching it out, but the rest was easy so I had plenty of time to spare.   I took my time attached the walls (love the Velcro!) and made sure the corner zippers were lined up ready to zip up for the night.  Then I spent the rest of the time setting up my tables and displays just so.  I'm still working on uncluttering my displays, but it's getting there.   

I proudly hung up the banner my daughter Nina designed.  I received a couple very nice comments on it and told customers it was designed by my talented daughter who's a graphic designer.  It feels so professional to have an identity with matching banner, business cards and website.   

So this is the entire display, tent and all.  I kept the side walls up for most of the show except during a sunny time and kept the back wall down because due tos a lot of foot traffic for the rides behind me.   

 

I was able to leave everything packed inside the tent on Friday night, so I didn't have to haul everything home and back like I did Thursday night.

 

So the weekend ended with some amazing fireworks that I watched while breaking down.

And I'm packed up and ready to load the car. 

Packed up

I now feel like a professional vendor! I can pick up and go to any show, rain or shine, indoors or out because I'm ready for anything now. I made lots of new friends and met old ones from Broome County Fair.

Lots of suggestions were given for fairs and craft shows in the area, and it looks like home parties are on the horizon because they're very popular around here. Not to mention fundraisers!  So watch out in the next couple months as I expand into these areas.

It was a good show and now it's time to regroup, rethink, schedule more shows for the holiday season and expand the candle business!  I not only had good sales, but a couple potential wedding orders.   It's always a pleasure educating customers about the benefits of soy candles, encouraging them to try them with samples I often give out and adding coupons with their purchase.  When I tell folks I'm local, I know they'll be back for more.   

The entire set-up

My Short Visit to the Chautauqua Institute

I took a couple days off this week to make a quick trip to the Chautauqua Institute to visit my daughter Carla who is an Young Artist (Opera) for the summer season which is a great honor.  Only 20 some singers are selected out of nearly 700 applicants.  http://opera.ciweb.org/young-artists/ 

Below is Norton Hall where most of the opera programs are held.  I attended the Opera Scenes on Thursday afternoon.  http://opera.ciweb.org/young-artists-scenes-programs/  Amazing talent! 

Chautauqua Institute is a small community promoting the arts and religion, and there are seminars, lectures, discussion groups and artistic performances every day.  It is a place for many divergent beliefs and cultures to exchange ideas, and I felt the presence of the intellectual community in my wanderings.   People relaxing in the shade, reading or discussing today's lecture, musicians practicing, the sound of a quartet rehearsing in the early morning, a minister's sermon... 

flowers everywhere carefully tended in front of the small cottages and home, nestled in quaint side streets leading to the lake.

I woke up early Thursday morning to meet Carla's opera mom Jane for breakfast.  She is a patron of the opera who lives at Chautauqua during the season and in NYC the rest of the year, and she watched over Carla offering advice and encouragement, and meeting any other needs she might happen to have.  I immediately liked her and wish I could have had more time to spend with her.  I am thankful that Carla had someone like her to depend on, and I'm sure they will meet again in NY.  Jane is an absolutely lovely person. 

Wednesday evening I saw an amazing dance program by the North Carolina Dance Theatre in Residence.  I saw some of their rehearsal in the afternoon and decided to attend the perfomance that night. 

There is an art center for visual artists including studios for printmaking, sculpture, painting, andwhen I walked through, the smells and aromas reminded me of my art school days.  There are dance studios and an opera center on the grounds. It's an amazing array of talented artists from all walks of life. 

Even the housing is comfortable, even though I got a ticket for parking in front of the opera dorm for the night.  Oh well, it's for a good cause. 

So Carla leaves to return to NYC tomorrow morning, and I'm sure it's a bittersweet time for her to say goodbye to some astonishingly talented but lifelong friends. I met so many wonderful people during the short time I was there, and I'd like to think I will return for a longer time to absorb all that Chautauqua has to offer. 

It was a good visit. 

The Broome County Fair, Whitney Point NY

Well, I think I am finally recovered from the week-long Broome County Fair.  It was exhausting, yet exhilarating.  I have never done more than a 1-day show in the past, and I thought I would die once at a show that went until 8pm.   Well this one was from 10 am through 10 pm, so I prepared myself mentally as best I could, and it's wasn't as bad as I thought.  In fact, the days went by and when the week was over, I wondered where the time went. 

The fair started on July 27 at 5 pm, so we had all day to get set up.  I arrived about 10 am to drop off the first carload, went home, showered, packed more stuff and returned around 3pm to finish my set-up.  I didn't get my new banner until Tuesday, but I had it for the rest of the week.  I am so proud of the work my daughter Nina did designing my banner! 

The show ran for 12 hours every day and ended Sunday around 8pm.  During the weekdays, it was slow in the afternoons, but picked up during the dinner hour and througout the evenings.  I was lucky to meet some terrific vendors which made the time pass pleasantly.   In addition, I made significant inroads locally, educating the general public about the benefits of soy candles.  

My good friends!

Night-time set-up

After 6 long grueling days, it was finally time to pack up and say goodbye to all my new friends.  I don't know where the time went, because the week was over in a flash.  When I told customers I was new to the area, I received many leads for area shows and am planning to finally buy a show tent with walls so I can vend at many upcoming shows in the area.  I plan to return to the Broome County Fair next year and hope to see many of you there.  I also got a ton of names for my fledgling newsletter through the raffle and sign-up sheet.  

All packed and ready to go home

I can't believe I got it all in the car in 1 trip!

I ended the fair with some deep fried pickles and Oreos.  Yum! 

sickeningly good

See you at the next show!