Selling at Renaissance Faires

[Daggrim]

Um, I'll have to look into my stored pictures for any examples of my displays.

As for colors...I mostly just find a color that looks good with the product. I bought lots of fabric remnants, and just keep them on hand. I use mostly solid colors...the patterns tend to camouflage the product. Royal blue, wine, forest green, rust. I also use small, inexpensive, one-foot square felt pieces purchased from a craft supply store, for accents. Navy blue, red,yellow,tan, green, etc. I try for a rich display of color. Makes the shop feel warm and inviting. I don't like small cutesy decorations. I just "paint" the shop with broad brush strokes, and let the product be the decorative details.

Oh, and mirrors! I make things for people to wear, and have up to 5 mirrors of different sizes placed so all that anyone needs to do is turn their head to see themselves. Finally, I place some really nice displays outside the building or tent, with a conspicuous mirror. It's a magnet!

Daggrim

[Daggrim]

Oh, different heights. I use anything for height changes. The boxes or tubs I haul stuff in, sitting on a table, and covered with a cloth. A small bookshelf set on top of a table. A wine rack. A board suspended by ropes. I even display a couple of my helmets on the top of coat racks, or pole lamps, suitably modified. Thrift stores, my friend...thrift stores.

Dag

[hivemind]

To my knowledge regulations are pretty technically strict, probably to cover the fair owner's basis, but you can get away with a lot if you don't cause problems, or if you do cause problems and if you're well liked you can get away with stuff too

That's pretty accurate from what I have seen. If you're a squaker or a problem tenant, they'll make things uncomfortable for you, enforce their regulations to the letter, etc. If you're quiet, make an effort to play by their rules and don't rock the boat, no one will call you on things like a few discreetly placed halogen spotlights up in the rafters.

[emmab1973]

Michael, the costume issues are a concern for me as I don't know much about period costume and it seems such an integral part of these events. I would like to do things properly so has anyone got any advice for a beginner? What will 'pass muster'? What is to be avoided at all costs?

What about period shoes - where can they be purchased - better still, does anyone have a medieval shoe pattern they would share?

Thanks for all your help guys!

Hi there,

I'm new to this site, and not really into leather work, although I do work with suede for costumes. I am a small one person business making medieval style costumes at affordable prices for LARP/LRP, re-enactment, druids, etc. If you are interested in a basic costume for when you sell, one of the easiest things to wear is a long belted tunic, over plain tracksuit bottoms, a short hooded cape and Ugg boots! It really depends on how realistic the fair holders want you to look. Something like the pictures below would do:

If you are after affordable costumes, please take a look at my site, www.dragonsfieldcloaks.co.uk. I take custom orders, and most items can be made within 2 weeks! I am based in Newport, South Wales, although I grew up in Ludlow, South Shropshire! (I lived there between 1977 and 1989, left when I was 16; maybe we know the same people!)

If you are interested, there is a re-enactment fair at Caldicot Castle, Monmouthshire, on 12th and 13th September. There will be traders there, although not as big as some fairs, and it only costs £35 for the weekend! Have a look at www.theema.co.uk for further details and to book. They ask that you make your stall look medieval, but are more flexible than some as to how

Regards,

Emma (Law)

[fishguy]

I did a couple of years selling on a very casual basis at SCA events here in the U.S.

Didn't sell a lot, but then again I did not have that much invested. Interestingly I found that after people had seen me at 3-4 events, they started buying stuff, even though my stock had not really changed. I also noted a distinct break between craftspeople who were actually making the stuff they sold, and people reselling stuff from China or lawnmower blade swords from Pakistan. Drives you crazy when you spend a bunch of time researching historical pouch designs, make the patterns, cut and sew them, and then watch someone look at it, put it down and go buy one across the way that is laced together with a cheesy metal hook clasp.

[Angster]

My wife and I have a booth at our local Ren Faire. It's fairly small with 75 or so merchants. Average daily attendance is 2500+ for the spring Renaissance Faire, and 1800+ for the fall Pirate Festival. My booth is still in the process of getting built, but it's intended to be more of an actual working leather shop, with repairs and alterations offered, custom orders gladly accepted, with a small amount of ready stock. And actually, there are several folk from my leather guild that sell through me at the booth, so I don't have to come up with all the stock (yeah!). And this is not my profession, it is my hobby. So I'm not as concerned about what money I make, more about the fun I have while there.

Actually, our best seller is a small strip of leather, 1.5 inches by 7 inches. We sell it for $2, and teach/help the kids stamp the leather themselves. They can use it to make a wristband or a bookmark (we'll punch either 2 holes or 1). While they are having fun doing that, the parents get to browse. The funniest thing for me is that we're about 50 feet away from the blacksmith, and they (the blacksmith folk) always gripe that we (the leather folk) are too noisy!

The stock that we have to sell is along the one wall, on the shelves and piled in baskets. Other, more expensive items and display items are gathered about the rest of the booth. Hopefully when I get the second floor and a permanent roof in place next year, I can set about with better pictures of how the shelves will be finalized, counters built and so on.