Festival season for me begins in the winter months when I begin planning my shows. In North Carolina, festival season runs from May through December. My festival criteria include, juried shows, size of the event, proximity to home, show hours and cost. Having a rough outline of potential dates helps me not to overreach and feel too stressed out by too many shows planned for any given month. Case in point, was May 2023, I zealously booked three shows and found out the hard way that it was too many. Another factor is that my husband gives up his weekends to help me, so good communication is essential so that things go smoothly.
Once my calendar is pretty much set, I try to keep a running inventory of products to see where I need to fill in the gaps. For example, I try to maintain around three dozen mugs, a dozen wine tumblers, a dozen sponge holders, and bowls and platters of various sizes. Time of year plays a part in some items such as bird houses for spring, pumpkins and acorns for fall ect.
A new addition this year has been SKU numbers on all products. During any given show, I now keep tract of sold inventory so I can better anticipate what sells at any given show for next year.
Lastly, I try to remember to enjoy the show experience. It is truly rewarding to connect with the people who love and support your work. Without them, you would not be in for business long.
