Hey all, just wondering, how much do city fairs typically charge for a spot? Don suggests in his DVD staying away from the carnival areas, so I looked into the business expo section of a local fair and found that it is $725 for a Saturday/Sunday spot.

Other than a couple flee markets, I haven't really done any pitching, but I don't see how I can possibly make any money with that. It's a very busy fair here in CT, but still...

Is that a typical fee? It's just so far off from what I expected.

Hi TKD27

Man $725.00 for a week end is way too much.They must really love their fair.You would have to sell drugs to make any money at thoses kind of rents.
I go to BIG state fairs like Wisconsin in Milwaukee and it's only $1,000.00 for 11 very busy days.( over one million prople )

You need to look around and find something much better on rent.

Hope this helped
Don

Don, very much, thank you. I think I'll call the chamber of commerce back and explain that I sell novelties... try and make myself sound like those guys with Spider-Man Balloons and glowing swords. See if I can get that a little cheaper.

It's unfortunate, though. All of our fairs in CT come in the summer. The earliest are July, and then stretch out through Septmemberish. This is the ONLY fair I know of that happens in April. I was really looking forward to seeing how I could do out there.

I've only done one flee market. It was sparsely populated. I sold to almost everyone I pitched to, but mostly just one on one pitches that were few and far between.

What do you guys do during the "off-season" for fairs? Maybe flee markets are different depending on your region, but I just don't see ever making enough money to be worth my while at them.

Oh - one more question... what is standard rent for a weekend fair? I'm sure it depends on size and all, but what has been everyone's general experience with that?

About $100.00 a day and at that price they better have a big TIP.( 10,000 a day or more)If you ask,the fair people will tell how many attented the year before.Knock no less than 1/3 off that number.(fair people have known to pump up the numbers for the press and just keep thoses numbers) Than see if you can get a list of dealers from years before.If you see the same dealers coming back year after year than its more than likely a good sopt otherwise they wouldn't come back every year.

Don

During the off season, try some indoor craft shows. Sometimes they will not let you in because you aren't selling "hand-made" goods. I explain that magic is a craft, using sleight-of-hand, and sometimes I get in on that basis. Parents are glad to buy something to keep the kids amused while they are looking around.

Indoor flea markets are OK if the organizers do a good job of follow-through and adequately publicize the event, so that lots of people show up. Otherwise, you are at the mercy of the public, and that's not a good situation. Without good traffic, even the best pitchman can't sell anything.

Personally, I lay low during December and January anyhow. After Xmas, most people are tapped out financially for a while anyway. Start with some indoor shows in February and March, then you can work the Spring outdoor events and so on. SETH

Seth,

If you keep this up with all this good infromation,I'll be asking you questions instead of you asking me.

Thanks, Don

Thanks, Don, for the kind words, but I SERIOUSLY doubt that! SETH

By the way, in my area I have paid anywhere from $35 to $100 for a spot at an outdoor fair. Generally, but not always, you get what you pay for in terms of crowds. I try to get a spot close by, but not next to, the food concessions, there is always lots of traffic there.

I also try to keep my table fee to $50 or less if possible, but will pay more if I know that it will be worth it. Anything over $75 better be darn good, you need to sell a lot of stuff to make it worthwhile at those prices.

As Don notes, some of these fair organizers are more interested in making a big profit for themselves than they are in providing a decent opportunity for their vendors. And some don't follow through on advertising because they are either cheap, lazy or inexperienced; this is a sure recipe for disaster.

Once you're at a fair, you can often get good leads from other vendors. Usually they will be helpful; they don't see you as competition because you are selling a unique product. SETH

The flea market in San Antonio where I sometimes work is $40 a weekend. Sunday is usually better than Saturday. Lots of hispanic. The gun shows I do cost from $50-$60 for 2 days. The only reason I do them is that they are inside and the flea markets are outside--cold, wet, people hurry by. I don't do REALLY well at gun shows but I also have a girl with me who sells strippers, so it works out OK.

Did an outdoor craft show in a park in Boerne TX last weekend. Wasn't cold (about 75 degrees) but was so windy the cards blew off the table. Cost $105 for 2 days and I didn't go back on Sunday. Others did OK, they said but also stated that it was the smallest show they'd ever done in that location. Said the Christmas show filled the park and was down the streets in both directions, on both sides of the street and they did fantastic. Oh well, there is always next year.

I look forward to the fairs this summer. Evencrazy.com list lots of shows for every State. Will also be doing the Zibit when it gets here. VERRRY eager to do that one!

John

Just an aside but there are a few Flea Markets in California that pull 50,000 to 60,000 bodies a weekend. Space is in the $30's-$40's when I was working them. Look to Roseville...San Diego...Gault...many others. That's a mega ton of flesh and pockets for little buy in...if it's a hundred it's still good. Art Fairs and so called City fairs are a crock...usually run by some broad who is a patron of the arts...charge $500-$700 to table and then want a percentage. Screw them flat out. Find the good Fleas...work the small Fleas if desperate or nothing else around. The BIG Fairs like the county fairs can kill you on entry ($5,000 to $6,000) UP FRONT but they can hand you a million people. Notice who is there year after year and what they have to sll to make that 5 grand pay off. If you have confidence, get the 5 grand and buy in. Personally I never had the cajones or the money to do that and stayed withj the smaller (but still viable) county fairs like Placerville where I would pay about $750 for a space for my single-o and would make that the first or 2nd day. I haven't been out for a while so maybe Big Kahuna can pop in here and drop a few price tags on the fairs in the west. I loved the big fleas and they are everywhere if you look. (Yeah you might have to drive a hundred miles, so what.)

Beware of the specialty shows...like say a Chili Cook Off...they are there for one thing and couldn't care less what you have to sell...Art shows generally suck as do most single purpose shows...Fleas work because everything goes. Do some research and find the big ones.

D

Doug, thanks for the insight. How would I begin to look for a big flea market like that? How would I know what is a giant flea market? Just by the number of people they say they have? And what number would you consider worth driving 100 miles for?

Thanks for the advice, it really is a big help.

Matt

My local fair has about 5 thousand people in 2 days. space (10X10) is only $55.00 for both days.. I'm guessing this is a good price?

You have to figure out what you can sell and what sort of fee is fair and workable for YOU. Otherwise the festival and you are just partners, which isn't a good deal.

Last year there was a "City Fair" in a nearby town that wanted $250 for the weekend, plus $100 for liability insurance if you didn't have your own, plus another $100 for a sign, so that everyone's sign would be uniform, plus another $50 for electric if you needed it. They didn't want me because my stuff wasn't handmade, but that was OK, at those prices they could keep their spot.

Don't forget that many outdoor events are crap shoots anyway because of the weather. Some don't have rain dates, and if it rains you may be out the fee altogether. Even if there is a rain date, attendance is generally off by at least 25% or more, just because that's the way it is. I haven't been rained out yet, but I've had some pretty close calls and it's just a matter of time and luck before that happens. So don't bet the farm on these things, better to do a couple of smaller events with smaller fees and make some nice bucks, than to gamble big bucks on something unless it's a guaranteed whopper, which doesn't happen too often, at least in my experience and in my neck of the woods. SETH

This weekend in San Antonio, there are 2 major shows. Home & Garden--$1025, HotRod--$400. I'm doing the HR show, made my nut back yesterday, (1st day), so the rest is profit (kinda). There were 3 empty spaces next to mine so I sold the promoter on my doing a magic show Sat & Sun, so my second space was free. Have 2 people (husband & wife) doing strippers the rest of the weekend and I'll do cards. Was too lazy to make DVDs, so sell them for $5. We'll see. Lots of kids there on Fri.

After they buy, I say, "Now I'm gonna show you some REAL magic." I have it already set up and show them the simple "paper clip on the dollar-bill" link-up. They really love it. I'm thinking of getting some big paper clips and giving them to the kids so they can do it later at home. I know Don says "Don't be magicians, be pitch men". But this trick is sooo neat and it works all the time. Obviously, if I'm really busy, I'll skip it.

I have never done an expensive show (over $105) with cards. This weekend, we'll see if it's worth it.

John

Trade or Craft fairs are a great way to go. I saw that several members suggested that already.
You may also want to consider co-op advertising. Share the booth and the costs with another entertainer.
Anpther idea would be to concentrate on doing your pitch act for a larger client whereas they cover yoru costs for the day as advertising or promotional costs. These would be for items that you give away that happen to have their name/logo/motto silk screened on them. You can find these type promotional items all over the web.
Something like fake snake oil which is in fact flavored mineral water, or even custom labeled tic tacs. Use your imagination and you will see that larger local companies will actually take it as a sense of pride that they have their own promotional Magician touting their wares.
Think Jarrett and Subway. While he is not pitching anything like you would be, he has been with Subway for 10 years now. Goes to show that it can work out.
Good luck.

You Guy`s don`t your born,,,,with rents here of £100 - £300 per ft frontage + Electric hook up of £65 per day + connection charge + parkup charges !!!! What you belly acheing about,,,,I pay these rents and still make a profit !!
Example>>>>> Bridge End Xmas Fair = £600 basic rent + VAT @ 17.5% plus parkup of £85,,,,, all for three days tradeing to less than 20,000 punters,,,still made a profit though,,,,,how???? Not telling!!

Ken

Hello All: This is my first season out on the road (First Of May) . I am pitching Svengali cards and worms. I have a few questions I hope someone out there could help me with. How do I secure my joint when I am working alone? , in other words how do I secure my stock, etc, when I head to the restroom, etc. Also If I am working a 3 day festival , How do I secure my joint overnight? I have a specially made EZ UP built for the flea market trade, with side walls I can completly close up. Still how secure is this setup? I can see it being somewhat easier if I have an RV parked right behind it. But what If I have to stay off site, Motel, etc.?? What do most of the pitchmen do with their joints overnight? Thanks and I wish each and everyone a great 2008 season.

Rod

Hello All: This is my first season out on the road (First Of May) . I am pitching Svengali cards and worms. I have a few questions I hope someone out there could help me with. How do I secure my joint when I am working alone? , in other words how do I secure my stock, etc, when I head to the restroom, etc. Also If I am working a 3 day festival , How do I secure my joint overnight? I have a specially made EZ UP built for the flea market trade, with side walls I can completly close up. Still how secure is this setup? I can see it being somewhat easier if I have an RV parked right behind it. But what If I have to stay off site, Motel, etc.?? What do most of the pitchmen do with their joints overnight? Thanks and I wish each and everyone a great 2008 season.

Rod

When I do the flea market with my Zibit, I always just take down the EZ-Up and bring all my stuff home with me at nite. When going to the rest room, I always had someone working with me who could watch the stuff. And I hurried! ;-)

The 1st time I did Svengali cards was at a flea market, too. I asked the person in the space next to me if it would be OK to leave my stuff there at nite but under the table. (I had a skirt around the table that would conceal it.) Frankly, all I had to take down was my table and put the cards back into my van but I was too lazy.

He said it would be OK, he thot, so I did. Next morning, several decks were missing, so never did that again. When I went to the rest room during the day, I put the stock that was ON the table, UNDER the table. Just took a minute, then put 'em back on top when I came back.

There is ALWAYS a way!

Jon