Fairs and festivals are a great way to get your business name out there. Every fall, harvest festivals bring people together from near and far to participate in fun activities, try delicious food, and do some shopping. In a poll conducted by The Merchandiser in March of this year, we found that 48 percent of vendors gain more profit from selling at a fair or festival than just selling at a market alone.
While flea markets are a fantastic starting point to sell products and get your name out there, vendors might start looking for other ways to promote themselves. Instead of spending money on paid advertisements, the summer is perfect for getting customers out of their houses. Fairs and festivals most likely have other things to do besides shopping, which is why they’ll attract more crowds.
Renaissance Festivals
Especially for artisans and handmade vendors, renaissance fairs are a fun summer pass-time for consumers to get out, watch some shows and do a little shopping. These festive events that take you back in time usually happen a handful of times during the summer. The Midsummer Fantasy Renaissance Faire in Ansonia, CT, takes place over the course of a few weekends, which makes buyers feel like it’s a must-see since it only happens one month out of the whole year. Also, who doesn’t love dressing up?
Oktoberfests
Oktoberfest is everyone’s favorite excuse-to-go-drinking holiday in the fall, and it’s right around the corner. This iconic German festival has lots of beer, food and shopping. There are so many different Oktoberfests in the U.S., it’s hard to keep track of them, but some of the biggest to check out are Oktoberfest by the Bay in San Francisco, Alpine Helen’s Oktoberfest in Georgia, Denver Oktoberfest in Colorado, and Tulsa’s Linde Oktoberfest in Oklahoma. The festivals have a lot more vendor spots than you may think, so do some searching for an Oktoberfest near you and promote your business.
Pumpkin Festivals
Perfect for turning into jack-o-lanterns for Halloween, as well as baking and eating the yummy seeds, pumpkins are one of the main staples of fall, and there’s a lot of festivals for them. With National Pumpkin Day on October 26th, there’s still plenty of time to snag a good vendor spot at any pumpkin fest.
The world pumpkin capital, Half Moon Bay in California, has their annual Art & Pumpkin Festival which features plenty of activities and handmade goods to keep consumers coming back for more. If you’re not in the California area, you can try out Fleamasters’ Punkin’ Palooza in Florida, Nekoosa’s Giant Pumpkin Fest in Wisconsin or Old Oaks Farm in Oklahoma.
Special Events at Your Local Flea Market
Once-a-year harvest festivals can’t hog all the fun. Many different flea markets host their own fall events with special activities, musical guests and other fun happenings to draw buyers to their market. It’s worth asking the management at your regular flea market to see if they plan on hosting anything special for the fall season so you can make sure your booth is front and center.