Craft shows can be a lot of fun if you're lucky to have good tent neighbors or friends at the show. I had both in Stockbridge. Across the aisle from me was Beth Russo, fellow jeweler, and her friend Ellen who kept me entertained most of the day. And several members of the Artisans of Western Mass. were in attendance as well.
Bethany was there to help me, as usual, so I got a chance to walk around and chat with people. And she was nice enough to booth sit for Amy Love and Steve Nartowitz who were doing the show alone.
Amy had a nice spot in the shade.
I saw Steve a lot as he was near 2 of the most popular places at the show--the food court and the bathrooms.
Jody was situated behind Beth Russo so I could see her colorful clothing from my tent.
Tony is always so happy to have his picture taken.
I'm really going to be needing friends at the craft shows I set up at in the future. Bethany, who has done every show with me for the last 4 years, will be moving away and, as children should do, will be moving on with her life. These four years she's made it possible for me to get started selling at craft shows and, while at them, to walk around when I get antsy and to visit other vendors and network a little.
Bethany, I will miss you and the time we spend together. I hope Denmark is the beginning of a lifetime of wonderful new experiences.
There are a lot of arts and craft shows in the Berkshires, three in Lilac Park alone. It's a great place for them with tourist traffic all year long so there are new customers every week.
This weekend we were in Stockbridge. Two great days--sunshine, warm temps, and low humidity. The show takes place in the center of town, walking distance from the Red Lion Inn in a town filled with tourists. And they love to bring home local art. So we were busy both days with customers who appreciated the work that went into the silver pieces and the creativity that went into the steampunk. Most sales were made with credit cards and there was no shortage of American Express cards.
I was a bit disappointed, however, to find yet another show that had too many jewelers. But it didn't seem to matter as we were all different and everyone seemed to be doing well. We were situated across from Beth Russo jewelry, next to The Silver Web, and there were other vendors near us with jewelry as part of their inventory. I had seen Beth at other shows but never really had a chance to talk to her much. Being across the aisle she and her friend, Ellen, came over to compare impressions of the "garlic girl" in the next tent who has infiltrated yet another craft show. I've mentioned her and her infomercial spiel before in this blog. And while she professes to make each and every one of her graters herself, no one really believes it. She is still very animated but she has dropped the volume of her routine and offends less by using less garlic and more carrots. She's been doing this for so long she has now added some comic one-liners and a Julia Child impression. Ellen & I were amazed at the number of people who stopped by (and brought friends over) just to listen. Is she an actress, a stand-up comedian, or just a natural talent? OMG, she's plain annoying! And, yes, she was selling them -- for $20!
I think we've succeeded in getting her removed from at least one show, probably 2. But it's very frustrating for people who work hard creating from scratch their own artistic products to have what amounts to a carnival barker included in the mix. As I've said before, she belongs at the home show next to the guy selling Vegamatics.
"Need a cheap craft show to be in on
November 19th" (June 15, 2012)
"Craft show-- need cheap booth opportunity for fall in _________,
KY"
"I'm finally getting my butt in gear and
looking for Christmas craft shows." (June 23, 2012)
"Need good holiday craft shows near
_____________, CA" (June 21, 2012)
"I have never done a craft show but I
signed up to two thinking that I wouldn't get in to either of them...well I got
in both. Now, I am freaking out. I have no idea if I can do enough inventory
for both."
"I have done a
total of 4 fairs this year and am starting to get a little irritated...the
majority of the fair was full of home party vendors and people with import
items."
I belong to a few craft &
artisan groups that post questions and have conversations in online forums. Lately I have been seeing lots of posts like
the ones above. It's June, Folks. We're halfway through the year. And you're just now thinking about looking
for holiday shows?
Well, you'll probably easily
find a $25 or $30 spot at a local church bazaar or high school show. Their applications don't usually come out until a month
or 2 before the show. But do you know if
that's even a good market for you? Would
you take a chance and spend even $25 to sit for 6 hours not knowing if you'll
even sell one item? I'd prefer to spend
$100 to do an established show that I know attracts my kind of customers and
maybe take home $500 or $600.
Like any other business,
handmade ventures require planning. June
is not the time to start thinking about doing fall or holiday shows. But it could be a good time to start visiting
shows, to scope them out, to do a little research.
Find shows you think you might like to do. There are lots of ways you can find them
online. Then visit them. Is the show
getting good customer traffic? Check out
the vendors who will be your competition and see if they are selling anything. Watch people and see what kinds of booths
attract them. Some vendors might even be
willing to talk to you and tell you if they're having a good day. And if it looks like it might be a good show
for you, find one of the organizers and ask how you can apply for next year.
But if you see a lot of cheap
resellers, move on to the next show.
FYI--all this travel to do research can be a
business deduction when you do your taxes.
Keep a record of mileage, meals, and admission fees.
In my first year I did a
church bazaar and a PTO craft show. I
sold nothing at either. My customers
weren't there . So for the rest of the year I attended several shows I learned
about online and from other vendors. I
made a spreadsheet listing each show I thought might be a good fit, application
due dates, costs, etc. And in December I
planned what shows I would apply to the next year. Yes, December. Two of the shows I wanted to get into (a late
summer and a fall show) had due dates of Jan. 15 and Feb. 1.
I applied to mostly moderately
priced shows and a couple of higher end shows ($200+). In a few cases I had backup shows with later
application deadlines that I could apply to if I didn't get into my first choice. Does this require having a lot of money up
front? Yes, it might if you get
over-zealous and apply to LOTS of shows. Many of the checks aren't cashed until you're
accepted and some not until a couple of weeks before the show, if that helps.
Also, be selective about the shows
you apply to and space them out so you can plan how you'll replenish your inventory in time.
This past weekend I had a tent set up for the third year in a row at Celebrate West Hartford. This show continues to puzzle me. We did really well the first year and poorly last year. And if you've read my reviews you know that it almost seemed as though a completely different population attended each year.
So this was my deciding year and this time both the population from 2010 and the one from 2011 attended--on different days. Saturday was a bit rainy with intermittent sun. Lots of people found their way into our tent but very few purchased anything. They looked at prices and continued to the next tent. Jewelry on display ranged from $18 earrings to a $250 necklace with lots of pieces well under $100. I strolled around and checked out other jewelers (there were over 30 of us at this event) and found that a couple of the people with bead strands were doing very well while higher end designers didn't seem to be so busy.
On Sunday we put out almost all new pieces in the same price range. The show begins at noon on Sunday due to a road race but people start wandering through around 11. By noon there were thousands of people crowding the aisles of craft show booths. Yet things still looked bleak at 2 pm when I made the decision not to apply to this show next year and a wave of customers appeared with their American Express cards to purchase multiple pieces and tell us how "reasonable" our prices are. So we ended up selling almost as much as we did in 2010 and way more than 2011 but mostly within the span of a couple of hours on Sunday.
So do I apply to this show again next year and hope that the 2010 population shows up even if it's just for a couple of hours?
Do I raise my prices or lower them? Actually, I've been using a suggested formula based on the cost of supplies and my time creating each design. I've increased my prices a bit each year to cover the increased cost of silver and supplies and in an attempt to reach full retail. I'm still about 10%-20% away. I feel badly that some people can't afford my jewelry but I think I feel worse when someone suggests I should be charging more. As if I don't value my work enough. My daughter thinks I'm trying too hard to please everyone but my 2 lines of jewelry are at such opposite ends of the fashion trends that I'm really creating for 2 very different audiences.
I was pleased to see so many people purchasing fine art this year, much more so than in past years. There are some incredibly talented people at this show-- from Linda Tenukas oil paintings to the graphic designs of James Polisky and including the ceramic art of Gail Markewitz.
And John Cheer just blew me away. This show was once primarily an arts festival and over time they've included more and more crafters.
So what is the future of art and craft shows? I did 3 shows before West Hartford and sold little at 2 of them. I took a ride to Mayfest in Vermont and found they are accepting resellers. Are they not getting enough applications to fill all their spaces? Are more shows desperate for booth fees going to head in the same direction? As resellers increase artisans, who can't compete with their prices, will decrease. Do people no longer appreciate locally handmade goods? Can people no longer afford them?
If you enjoy shopping for handmade crafts and maybe even sometimes buying handmade, you'll love this small craft show that takes place at Eastworks in Easthampton, MA, on Feb.11. In a small room on the right hand side of the building you'll find a group of 20-25 local artisans exhibiting their work which runs from the traditional to the unique.
It's only a few days to Valentine's Day so Jansjems will be there with every heart in our jewelry collection--hearts with pearls, fine silver hearts, hearts with gemstones, steampunk hearts, and even a few red & pink ones.
Easthampton has an Artwalk the 2nd Saturday of each month. It doesn't start until 5pm so Eastworks would be a great place to stop earlier to take a stroll through Handmade with Love and maybe have an early supper at Riff's Joint.
What kinds of things will you find at Handmade with Love? Well, jewelry for sure. And not just mine. Heather Black and Amy Love have lovely gemstone jewelry. Glimmerstone is a bead weaver and her work is truly unique. And there will be others.
Well, I didn't get accepted to this one again this year. So I took a ride to Woodstock, CT., to find out just what kind of jewelry did get accepted. Last year I applied with pictures of my steampunk jewelry. While it seems to be what gets me into shows like West Hartford, Historical New England probably didn't find that classy enough. So this year I sent pictures of my nicest fine silver pieces. And it appears that too was a mistake.
Taking a tour around the festival I found that though the jewelry category wasn't more than a quarter of the vendors, there were many, many with silver jewelers. Silver clay pieces and those made by metal smiths tend to have similarities. There were jewelers with shiny sterling silver, some with oxidized silver, a couple with some interesting designs, and a few that set stones. On the other hand, I think there were only about 3 bead jewelers and they were all different from one another--riveted, soldered, and crocheted but no strands of plain strung beads at all.
So my dilemma now is what should I apply with next year. Steampunk is the only genre with no competition. But I'm not sure this show is ready for what might be considered "gritty and industrial" just yet. I've thought about a high end steampunk with gemstones and no rust. Play up the whole recycling thing. Or should I go back to my roots and try gemstone cluster pieces. I guess I'll be working on this for awhile.
The show, however, is still quite successful. Traffic was great on Saturday morning despite the $5 admission fee. And people were buying. The wind was an issue and I heard that a couple of tents blew away. There were also a few empty spaces where it appeared people didn't show up. But this is a show I hope to get into again one of these years.
I did see two members of the Artisans of Western Mass. selling there. Fortunate enough to get is was Little Birch Farm and Armeith Naturals. They both have great products. I hope that had a great weekend.
One of the pieces of information an artisan needs when deciding to which arts and crafts shows he/she will apply is traffic. The estimated number of people who attended in the past tells us if the show is established, well advertised, and popular. Unfortunately that information is not always available. Occasionally I find a website for a show that actually has pictures of people in the aisles and shopping (and not just their volunteers manning the donations table). When I can't get numbers, these pictures sometimes prompt me to give the show a try.
StART on the Street just had it's eighth show yesterday. They have no problem advertising that they get over 200 vendors and attract over 20,000 people. That's what I want to hear. When I can't get that information, this is what I want to see.
This show takes place on Park Avenue in Worcester. It begins at 11am and somewhere between 12 & 1pm this mass of people arrives making getting from one booth to the next a bit of a challenge. At times we had so many people in the booth I could've used a third person.
The variety of arts and crafts runs from the truly funky and kitchy to high end and polished. You can buy a skarf made from recycled t-shirts or fine art. But StART isn't just a craft show.
Throughout the day they have a variety of musicians performing, dancers, performance art, mimes, and even a poetry reading stage this year. There's a section dedicated to keeping children entertained.
And I can't leave out the Chinese dragon who made an appearance.
This is a fun show. It's loud, it's crowded, it's full of the unusual and the unexpected. You should try to get there next year.
We're heading out to Worcester tomorrow for the annual StArt on the Street that takes over a portion of Park Avenue. It's big, it's loud, and it draws around 20,000 people. We decided to go back to Worcester after taking a break last year to sell at the Old Deerfield Fall Craft Show. But I visited this year's show with a friend just to see if the people who told me last year they weren't going to return, really didn't return. And they didn't.
While even the fall show, the biggest and best attended of the 4 they sponsor, didn't have all the spaces filled, I was happy to see some new artisans at the show. Tina's Baskets is not your traditional basket. She came with basketry art. Even her actual baskets were unique yet usable.
Liz Blanchflower came with her handcrafted sterling silver designs and unique French knot cord necklaces.
Lou Rudinski, woodturner, came all the way from Maryland to set up a tent with beautiful wooden bowls.
I had a laugh looking at the Art of Conni Togel. It's all about sheep and they are wonderful! This one is called "Big Horn Sheep".
I hope these new vendors did well so that they'll return. Having attended this craft show as a patron for years, I always like to see new artisans.
I wasn't certain I was going to apply again for this year's Church on the Hill Craft Show but I'm glad I finally did. Last year was a bad one for weather, traffic and sales. But I decided to give it another go and was pleasantly surprised that all the bad from last year was good this year.
Two other AWM members were present at the show. Amy Love was located across the aisle from Aviva of Sieber Designs and her colorful quilts.
We spent some time comparing notes about how we dealt with the very hilly terrain. We all had to shim our tables to level them off. My tent was notched higher in the front than the back to make it look level. It's a very rough park to set up in. But being in the center of town we picked up a lot of tourist traffic and the businesses in town were busy too with people who came just for the craft show.
It's been many months since I spoke with Emily of Emily Betti Designs. We met in Springfield, I think. She also makes jewelry and has a shop on Etsy. We chatted a bit and since I could see her booth from mine, I noticed she was having a good weekend too.
Thai Indigo Village had a booth across the aisle from us. This is a family business located in Northampton. The weaving is just exquisite.
I must say though that there were way too many jewelers this year--about every third booth. In talking to one of the organizers I learned that like lots of other shows they had trouble attracting non jewelry crafters and accepted more jewelers to fill the empty spaces. And how did all these jewelry vendors do with so much competition? Well, I learned that 4 of us did well enough to come back again. As for the rest, I don't know.
For the official review of this craft show, see my side pages.
It's snowing like mad outside. Hubby is trying to clean the driveway for the first time because once we get over a foot the snowblower has a hard time with it. And there's already an inch in the area that he cleared.
It's a great day to do paperwork. So I'm sifting through craft show applications to do the ones with the earliest due dates. I like to do from 12 to 15 shows per year; most from June through November.
I have a spreadsheet of shows that lists show dates, application due dates, costs, requirements and, when I have it, information on traffic numbers. Maybe that's a little obsessive but I like being organized. (Another consequence of being in the library world for so long.) And since they all have different due dates, if I don't get into one I can quickly find another the same month or even the same weekend with a later due date.
I also keep a notebook that includes printed off information from the show websites and copies of applications from last year along with the pictures that were sent. This allows me to redo what was successful and change applications that weren't. I spent part of yesterday photographing my newest silver clay pieces. I have a couple I'm particularly proud of and wanted to try for great pictures. I think that pictures are probably the most important part of the application process. After all, they're worth a thousand words. Although I've never been on a craft show jury, if I were, I'd want them to be crisp and clear and show as much of the work as possible. It's a contest after all and the best work wins a spot.
In some shows all jewelry is put into the same pot and in others there are categories such as metalsmithing, strung jewelry, alternative materials, etc. I have learned that lots of work gets lumped into the very large category of strung/beaded jewelry. So last year I applied using pictures of our steampunk pieces. There's not so much competition there. This year I'll do the same but with the higher end shows I'll send pictures of my new silver pieces. While I do see silver smiths at some of the shows, I think my fine silver is a bit different. Well, I guess we'll see.
A few quick thoughts about craft show applications-- --Every show that you want to get into is important. Treat every application with the same level of professionalism, whether it's a large juried show or a small local one. --Make sure the application is filled out completely right down to your car model and license number, if requested. --Any essays should be neat, legible, well written, and grammatically correct. --Descriptions of pieces should be like advertising sound bites. Rather than "necklace", tell them what it's made of, how it's constructed, etc., as succinctly as possible. --Send the best pictures of your best work. --And send it out so it gets there before the due date. --If you have questions about any part of the application, don't wing it or skip it. Call or email and ask! --Don't forget to include the check. Read the application carefully as some only want the jury fee, and some want the check post dated.
It's important that the show organizers get whatever information they need. If something is missing they might just toss your application.
It might depend on whether you are creating as a hobby or trying to earn a living with your craft. As a hobbyist you may not have a state resale number or a federal business ID number (EIN). If so, you may not be able to sell at the bigger shows that actually ask for that information on the applications. Although very few of the Mass. show applications ask for my state tax id, every show I've applied to in Conn. asks for it on the application. And while I've never had anyone come to my booth and ask to see my Mass. resale number, the possibility exists. And every show I've applied to in Conn. asks for your Conn. tax ID number on the application.
Registering as a business and getting a tax resale number also allows you to buy supplies without paying sales tax and often lets you to buy at wholesale prices. On the other hand, you will have to charge tax on your products and send sales tax payments to the state. You'll have to keep records of income and expenses and file income tax. In my town I also pay property tax on my inventory and equipment.
So whatever your situation, you have now compiled a small list of possible craft shows for 2011. Some you attended and feel they would be a good fit and some your friends have suggested to you as possibly a good fit. But you still need to find a few others to fill in the time in between?
Do you apply to the local church bazaar because the table fee is only $25? Do you shoot for the the $300 arts and crafts show because it's big and should bring a large turnout increasing your chances for sales? Do you do the high school show because it's indoors and you won't need your tent? As this is a "learn as you go" business, any of the above could work. And any of the above could be a total waste of money. The additional pages of this blog (on the left) where I have reviewed several local 2010 shows may help you out.
Whatever you decide...
--Do start early looking for shows and information about them even if applications aren't yet available. --Don't do first time shows. They don't always have their act together yet, may not have advertised enough, and don't yet have a customer following to rely on for traffic. --Don't do any shows completely blind. Think about your product and if the show is the type or in a location that will attract potential customers. Contact the show promoters and ask about traffic at previous shows. Find out how big a space you'll have to display. Ask for names of vendors who have done the show before and contact them. It's a shame to waste even $25.
Crafts Shows are divided into two categories, juried and non-juried. The non-juried shows are usually easier to get into. Organizers want to fill the spaces and aren't selective about who shows up. They're usually less expensive and loose about the application deadline. Some do try to limit each category so if you sell jewelry, apply early.
Juried craft shows are more selective and usually require photos and detailed descriptions of the crafts that you sell. Entry fees can range from $50 to thousands of dollars and often ask for an additional jury fee of $10-$30. Many have craft show websites where you can download their applications. Some require photos of your craft display in the form of slides or as a CD. They are strict about getting applications by a certain due date.
Finding "your " craft shows is a process and takes time. And even once you've found some great shows, there's always the possibility that you won't get accepted the next year. So always have a Plan B--other shows you can apply to.
With the holidays now over and 2011 only a few days away, I'm working on my craft show schedule for next year. You think it's too early? Not really. Last year I applied to a show in Virginia and the application deadline was Jan. 2. I learned to start early a couple of years ago. I had heard good things about the Mattoon St. Festival in Springfield which takes place in September. I looked for an application online but didn't find one. So around the end of January I emailed the contact on their website. The jewelry category was already full! As it turns out, Mattoon St. only juries you the first year. Once you're accepted you only need to send in the next application with the booth fee. And they send you that application 2 weeks after the show. If you sell jewelry you need to return it immediately or they quickly find people to fill your spot. So I have already sent in my check for the 2011 Mattoon St. show. Live and learn.
After 3 years of research and experience I now have a pretty good idea which shows I want to apply to. But if you're new to all this, here are a few things to think about when making your selections.
How do I find shows? --Talk to friends and fellow artisans to get suggestions --Go online and google "New England Craft Shows" or "Massachusetts Craft Shows" and you will often run across websites that list shows. Some want fees to give you more information. Instead, write down the show names in the list and then search for their websites or information about them in other places. If they don't have a website, there might be a phone number listed for information. --Join a local artisan group. They share information.
How do I know if it's a good show? Well, often you don't. But if you're unable to attend the show to check it out and don't know anyone who has already sold there, you need to consider your product and your expected customers when you're making your best guess. --If you're selling inexpensive, fun items that appeal to children or teenagers, you need to find a show that attracts them. Perhaps a fair or music festival. Will your product also appeal to mothers and grandmothers buying for children? Then maybe a church fair or high school craft show is a good choice . --If you're selling higher end products like gold jewelry, quilts, or handmade clothing then you need to find shows that attract professional women who like to dress well and decorate their homes--and can afford to do so. Shows in or near major cities would be my pick. Or shows in wealthier neighborhoods. --And with fine art, you might want to consider "art shows" rather than craft shows as they will attract customers who are looking specifically for paintings and sculpture. --Are you creating for a niche market? Steampunk art and jewelry is one example. And while that would sell best at a steampunk show, I have found through experience that my steampunk jewelry also sells well anywhere there is a young crowd or tourists. --Stay away from economically depressed areas where factories have closed or people are still struggling the make ends meet. And while I admit that this is true almost everywhere, some towns are doing much better than others. --Some products just sell well almost anywhere. Canvas bags, silk screened t-shirts, fabric purses, and hand painted, holiday inspired, wooden home decor seem to do well at many of the shows I attend. --And the fall (September & October) seems to be the best time to do craft shows, at least here in New England. People have started buying for Christmas, they have their Christmas Club checks, and they're not yet fully involved in the holiday party/family dinners chaos.
For lists of shows in Mass. & Conn., check out the websites below frequently as they update often. http://www.jaminmark.com/eventinfo/states/MA.html http://www.eastcoastartisan.com/index.html http://festivalnet.com/events.html?fn00077 http://www.artscraftsshowbusiness.com/shows.aspx?state=CT http://www.indiecraftshows.com/events
To apply or not to apply, that is the question.I seem to be always looking for a new craft show in the hope that I will find my customers there. We've had several successes this year and I'll reapply to those but I'm looking to replace the poorer shows.
Knowing that high school shows and church bazaars are definitely not good shows for us, we decided to take a look at a show at the other end of the scale--the professional promoter shows.
There are a few big promoters who run shows along the East Coast. Sugarloaf Craft Shows, Castleberry Fairs, and Craft Producers are the biggest I know of. Spaces at Sugarloaf start at just over $500 with electricity extra. It's a lot of money but would it be worth it?
This past weekend we drove down to Hartford for the Sugarloaf show at the Expo Center. It is definitely huge. We went on Sunday and by 1:30 the parking lot was full and they were sending cars to an open area at the end of the street. People were piling into the show despite the $9 entrance fee. My first impression was that this was the place to be.
But on closer inspection, most vendors were not doing well. Some were barely covering the booth fee. Higher end jewelry wasn't selling and pottery was selling only if it was unique. One potter has perfected a purple glaze that you can't miss. Though this show didn't have the usual mass of country craft vendors (I don't think I saw even one), the food vendors clustered in one aisle seemed to be getting most of the business.
Had we done the show this year we would have had no competition in the steampunk jewelry catagory. We might have been able to take in $800-1200. But after subtracting the booth fee we wouldn't be left with much. I can make that much at a much less expensive show and end up with more profit.
So Sugarloaf is out for now but there's a Castelberry show in the same location in December. It's $450 for the booth fee and their most expensive show. Is that because it's their best show or because the Expo Center costs so much to rent? I'll try to get to that show too and find out.
For anyone interested there is a more detailed review on my Arts & Crafts Shows Review page for Oct/Nov.
I had the honor this past weekend to exhibit in an art show at the Sinai Temple in Springfield that included some outstanding fine artists. Having a line of steampunk jewelry I was particularly intrigued by Geoffrey Houghton's "Steamfolk" watercolor illustrations. Marcia Reed who teaches at Williston Northampton School set up a beautiful display of her very colorful paintings. I particularly liked the Tuscan scenes she painted while teaching workshops in Italy. Nice. Leon Comstock and I shared a pegboard wall. And both days I had a very nice view of Frederick LeBlanc's photographs of boats and water scenes.
I was told that in the past this festival was strictly fine art. This year other artisans were invited to participate and the Men of Sinai were fortunate to have Peg Gerard and her polymer clay jewelry. She's been featured in books and magazines and creates incredible patterns with clay. Lori Mader, whom I saw at Mattoon Street, was there with her stoneware. And Jan Charbonneau, a member of the Berkshire Made group, showed off her purses made of recycled men's ties.
I've never been to the Garlic & Arts Festival in Orange. It seems I always had somewhere else to go. I managed to get there this past weekend and was very surprised at how much was going on. There were lots of crafters, food vendors, and informational booths. And a zydeco band was playing on the main stage.
The many tents were set up on hilly and uneven terrain. Up on the hill to the left of the entrance were several food vendors selling everything from gourmet soups to Thai cuisine. I saw two members of the Artisans of Western Mass. with tables set up in a larger tent labeled "Community Marketplace" and they told me that sales were good.
I was impressed with the crowds, the entertainment, and the variety of vendors. There were several people selling wonderful hand spun yarns in incredible colors. A couple of farms were set up with fresh fruits and vegetables. There was fine art and photography, glass pendants, hand sewn wallets and bags, herbs, massage, copies of old town maps, dyed silk scarves, honey, salsa, and cooking demonstrations.
And of course there was garlic, many varieties of garlic.
