How do you light your fair booth?

[wildrose]

I'm selling at a big event that runs 'til 10 pm two nights coming up next month. I'd like advice on how best to add lighting to my tent (no electric). Specifically, "camping" style battery lanterns. There will be street lighting, but I want to supplement it.

Suggestions? Brands?

[Regis]

Only ones I've done after dark were indoor. Light in summer means bugs. If you don't have big bug problem, just mount as high as you can. If you are in a place prone to lots of BUGS, I'd suggest depending as much as you can on street lights. Any you can mount high could help. Check to see if the torch lights are allowed. Have a very good battery camping light that you can turn on for someone to closely inspect an item.

my 2 C's

Regis

[Suze]

Maybe some of those "touch lights" and spray the heck out of them with some sort of bug spay.

I had a chunk of material once that I sprayed the heck out of with cittronella and hung in the top of the pavilion. it was really wet when I got done with it..

bugs pretty much left us alone.

[Studio-N]

One of the best setups I saw when I was on the circuit was someone who had a marine battery mounted atop a battery charger on a dolly which ran an inverter. This powered his wares and florecent bulbs. He would simply plug it in at his hotel to recharge it after each day.

[tashabear]

Maybe some of those "touch lights" and spray the heck out of them with some sort of bug spay.

I had a chunk of material once that I sprayed the heck out of with cittronella and hung in the top of the pavilion. it was really wet when I got done with it..

bugs pretty much left us alone.

Just burn one of these for an hour or two: http://www.offprotects.com/mosquito-repeller/

Kept the bugs out of my yurt for the whole two weeks of Pennsic, and doesn't smell as bad as citronella.

[UKRay]

A string of 12 volt LED fairy lights give off a surprising amount of light, Holly, and can be strung around the place to make it look pretty - powered from a car battery they ought to last a couple of days.

Ray

[Deb59]

We have a Coleman Twin Tube florecent lamp that I got at Wal-Mart during an Ice Storm. This put out a lot of light. We put it up high on a shelf in front of a mirror and it really lit up the room.

As far as the bugs, during the fair when we have the windows open all the time on the ticket booth for selling tickets, we spray the outside down with Ortho Max and don't have a bug problem. I am guessing it would work if you sprayed the outside & celing of your tent, around your tables etc (before putting anything out of course) and spray the lantern too would probably help. Good Luck - Deb

[Luke Hatley]

LIGHT .......this i do know... after dealing with folks at a CRAFT FAIRS...

the only Light i want at nite is " BUD LITE". my sales are always up to my expecation and

i close my tent up when the sun goes down.

as for new people getting started in the craft fairs, you'll see.....

[wildrose]

Deb's reply is along the lines of what I'm looking for. With my set up, and the location, a battery powered or rechargeable lantern is going to be the best bet. I just wondered if anyone had preferences. I've looked at Rayovac's Sportsman Area Lantern, the Coleman Family Size Ruggery Battern Lantern and the Rayovac LED Lantern so far.

[Dwight]

I'm selling at a big event that runs 'til 10 pm two nights coming up next month. I'd like advice on how best to add lighting to my tent (no electric). Specifically, "camping" style battery lanterns. There will be street lighting, but I want to supplement it.

Suggestions? Brands?

You can go to almost any national brand auto parts store, . . . ask them for what is called an "inverter", . . . they start around $20, . . . go up to a couple hundred for the big boys.

A small one, good for 1500 watts, . . . when hooked to a 12volt automobile battery, . . . will power 4 or 5 of the florescent "squirrely" bulbs (they look like they were wrapped around a cucumber when wet and allowed to dry), . . . for several hours. They can be mounted in any light fixture, . . . including auto mechanic drop light fixtures (buy at the same auto part store).

You mount the inverter in your vehicle, . . . then run a regular 120 volt extension cord to the tent, . . . voila, . . . you have light. Just be careful not to put a bunch of other stuff on that circuit. Or, . . . just drag the battery and inverter to the tent on a 2 wheel dolly, . . . alligator clips on the inverter, . . . plug in the lights (inverters have a 120 volt plug in built into them most of the time), . . . and you are good to go, . . . no extension cords.

May God bless,

Dwight