The Christmas season craft fairs have come and gone. For many, this is the busiest and often times most profitable season of the year. The hustle and bustle of the season has diminished. For many a crafter, the question remains—is it worth it to sign up for craft fairs year ‘round and during months where sales and crowds may not be as much? There is no one right answer and obviously it will depend upon your particular situation, the place that you live in, and your own personal choices. Each person will have to decide for his or her self what to do. Following are some points to ponder as you decide the course of the next few months and new year in terms of venues that you may or may not want to participate in. These are my personal insights and they may or may not apply to you or your situation. Hopefully, there may be something you can glean from these.

• The price of everything has been going up due to inflation—the cost of goods, materials, supplies, gas, and no doubt, the cost of markets and craft fairs for vendors. Some craft fairs here in Hawaii can cost upwards of $250 to $800. If you believe that you can recoup the cost of the fee plus your time, then it might be worth it. Every venue has its following and if the venue has traditionally brought in a lot of people and sales, then it might be worth a shot. If not, it might be worth looking into a less expensive venue when shoppers and sales are far and few between. Check if the event organizer does a lot of advertising and if there is a special holiday centered around it—e.g. Valentine’s Day, etc.

• Don’t judge a book by its cover! Less expensive and less glamorous events don’t necessarily dictate the outcome. I once participated as a vendor at a Bingo Night fundraiser for an organization. The event cost $25 to participate as a vendor. When I arrived, there were only 6 of us vendors there. I really didn’t expect much. I wondered if I would even make back my vendor fee. As the night went on, my expectations seemed to be coming true. No one was shopping and I wondered why I was even there. Then, a turn of events! There was a break in the Bingo game! People went to get food and started shopping at the vendor booths. First a few people came up, then more and more and more. It got really busy! I started to run out of change! I had to call my son to come and bring more change. My customers had to get change. The Bingo game resumed but more and more people kept coming to shop. It was a miraculous night! I will never forget it. So, lesson to be learned, don’t judge a book by its cover. In the way of craft fairs, you can never tell the outcome of an event.

• Participating in craft fairs year ‘round can be a gamble. I participate in weekly markets and these tend to have regular customers and shoppers. Weekly and even monthly events is a good way to build up clientele. You will obtain regular customers. This is a benefit of participating as a vendor all year.

• Participating in fairs and markets all year is another way to be able to rest out your latest and newest products. This is how I find out what sells and what doesn’t. Customer feedback is very valuable. You learn all year what your successful products are and then come the busy season—boom! You produce all of your top sellers! You are thus, setting yourself up for success. This is another benefit.

• Participating as a vendor all year enables you to network with other sellers. You find out about other markets and opportunities and this allows you to grow. I have people asking me how they can get started selling at fairs and markets. You just have to find one and try it. Visit different venues first as a shopper and see if it is something you’d like to do.

• Every month has its good points in terms of selling. January is a good time to have sales to clear out old stock and make room for the new. You can also gear up for Chinese New Year. February has Valentine’s Day and President’s Day. March gears up for Easter and St. Patrick’s Day. April is spring and Easter. May is Mother’s Day and graduation season. Wedding season can run through June and July or all year long. To me, August and September can be the slowest sales months, but it really varies from venue to venue. Of course, October-December is the holiday shopping season.

• To conclude, decide which events will be worth your time and vendor fees before signing up. Talk to other vendors who have participated in those events before and then decide for yourself. People always love to shop and there is something special about buying handmade directly from the crafter who made it. I feel that this will never go out of style. Opportunities can abound year ‘round. Find the best events that suit you. Best wishes for this new year!