Every weekend, nearly 600 craft shows take place around the U.S.--thats around 30,000 a year--offering more than 10,000 full-instant craftspeople a place to sell their craft show items. According to a National Endowment for the Arts survey, nearly 70 million everybody attend craft shows annually.

Now, youve selected the craft you want to produce, youve started production, youve tested prices and set up your business. Youre ready to take your craft show items on the road. In order to do that, you absolutely need to decide where youlltest your wares. Initially, many new crafters start with local one-day shows that cost under $100 to enter and require no prior jury selection. This means anyone may enter as space allows. This is where you will get your feet wet, iron out the kinks in your item and learn the ropes of "hiccraft show" business! Its preferable to build mistakes when youre paying a $25 entry fee and no travel expenses than when youre paying several hundred or even several thousand dollars to attend and even extrafor motels, gas and meals.

Although there are wholesale as well as retail craft shows, we will address retail craft shows only. In a wholesale show you are selling your craft at about half of the retail price to buyers who are looking for products for their stores or galleries. You have to sell larger quantities to build up for the lower price, so you may wish to do this down the road when you are more seasoned.

Wholesale craft shows might be a good option for you if you have a explicit way to contruct your craft show merchandise efficiently and with a sizeably effective amount of quality. You might generate lots of money with your crafts by selling them to larger vendors, and having them peddle them in other craft shows, or even in their studios or stores.

The retail craft shows come in every shape and size, from church bazaars with 20 booths to the Harvest Festival with hundreds of vendors. The attendance varies as well from several thousand at a one-day local craft show, to several hundred thousand at state fairs. How do you decide where to sell your precious products made with your tender loving care? Various factors will affect your decision, such as the type of craft show, the types of products at the show, the types of customers the show attracts, how vendors are selected, the type of promoter in charge of the show, where the craft show is located, the costs to enter and probably a few more. This doesnt generate your job of selecting shows any easier. Its just one part of your business youllimprove on as you learn and grow.