Selling at Renaissance Faires

[UKRay]

I was wondering if anyone could share their experience of selling at Renaissance/Medieval Fairs as I understand there are some pretty strict guidlines about authenticity. Does this apply to the products you sell as well as the tent you display them in? (some kind of Jury perhaps?). Hopefully we have one or two traders here who can help?

Some idea what sort of tent is acceptable would help a lot and so would some guidelines of the sort of products that can be or are already sold. What sort of leathergoods can be purchased?

I'd also be very interested to see some trader's stalls from this kind of event in the US and elsewhere to get an idea how you guys do it and how the stalls compare to those at events on this side of the pond - can anyone oblige with a picture or two?

I have attached a few pics from a medieval event held here in the UK to give you an idea what I mean:

[ferret]

Depends on the venue and who's organising it. Unless they specify "living history" standards you can get away with almost anything as long as there's no safety risk. Same goes for products, though I wouldn't try selling a re-enactor anything made from chrome tan. If you are going to put buckles on anything go for brass/bronze "D" shape (authentic even before the romans got here). If they insist on costume go for a long robe/kirtle (saves trying to make authentic hose which is a pain). If it is "living history" best forget it, you'll spend far more on kit than you'll ever make back, then some authenticity orifice will tell you the carefully researched thing you've made isn't right (while ignoring the "viking" wearing cowboy boots and a ww1 bayonet).

[whinewine]

I was wondering if anyone could share their experience of selling at Renaissance/Medieval Fairs as I understand there are some pretty strict guidlines about authenticity. Does this apply to the products you sell as well as the tent you display them in? (some kind of Jury perhaps?). Hopefully we have one or two traders here who can help?

Some idea what sort of tent is acceptable would help a lot and so would some guidelines of the sort of products that can be or are already sold. What sort of leathergoods can be purchased?

I'd also be very interested to see some trader's stalls from this kind of event in the US and elsewhere to get an idea how you guys do it and how the stalls compare to those at events on this side of the pond - can anyone oblige with a picture or two?

I have attached a few pics from a medieval event held here in the UK to give you an idea what I mean:

We (Where Dragons Tread) are too small at this point to be able to sell the quantity necessary to maintain stock for the number of weekends the large fairs run, so we do small 1,2 day events instead. The Pennsylvania Renaissance Faire, for instance, runs for (I believe) 14 consecutive weekends. EZups are NOT permitted there, only Panther Primitives & the like. The first year at the PA renfaire, you must have an approved tent, the second year, you must build a structure (I can't offhand remember if 2nd year is just a platform & temporary structure & 3rd year & beyond is the permanent structure, but a structure is required in that second year, anyway).

Items must be handmade/handcrafted- NO resale (shit made overseas in some fourth world country & resold as being made by the craftsman himself/herself- like some of the stuff you find at many 'professional' flea markets that are open all year round.).

Demonstrating is a definite plus & does draw crowds.

Dressing in period costume is mandatory for vendors (& many/most faire goers also dress in costume). Most vendors also have full-time shops, with employees, so they can maintain the quantity of goods necessary for all 14 weekends.

Weapons usually must be 'peace tied', & some faires specify 'no weapons'. Find out first before you try to come in dressed as an executioner with a real axe...

We usually go at least 1 weekend every year to the PA Renfaire, as we know some of the vendors from a small faire we did together several years ago & we like to visit with them.

Ray, what you might do to get a better feel for what is/is not required (because each faire may have many different requirements) is to google 'renaissance faire', 'Pennsylvania Renaissance Faire', Great Lakes Renaissance Faire'...etc, then download the vendor applications to get an idea of requirements & rents at the various events.

russ

Edited August 11, 2008 by whinewine

[fishguy]

I did some selling at SCA tournaments rather than other "Rennisance Fairs" and had a pretty good time. The SCA has standards for authenticity in terms of setting up your stall, pop-ups are allowable, but the prefer you make it look as period as possible(there is usually some award for best stall). You are expected to dress in period costume, and stock goods that are reasonably period. With the SCA you have around 1000 years to work with. I focused on pouches, sheaths, quivers, bracers, and sounding horns (made from cattle horn). Sold a few things, the more I went to the more I sold (people became familar with me). Some people appear to make a significant amount of money selling at these things, enough to keep going anyway. Other than the products I tried, belts are very popular, and there is a real need for affordable period shoes. Haven't gone to any in a couple of years (shifted to cowboy gunbelts and blackpowder bags), but I found them to be quite enjoyable and the people were nice and pretty easy to work with. You can find guidelines , schedules, etc. on the web.

[Michael Sheldon]

I do several faires as an actor, not vendor, but I spend a bit of time with the vendors.

Every faire has different rules. Contact the ones you are interested in, and ask them about rules for vending. Some are extremely strict, others have practically no rules at all. Some I attend will allow vendors with no costumes, ez-ups and cheap import crap with no bearing on the time period. One that I attend requires first that the vendor be juried by the other vendors, and that each and every item sold be approved, the items must be made by the business owner, and the business owner or an employee of the owner must actually run the booth. The vendors also must follow the same costume guidelines as the actors.

The advantage to the less strict faires is that it's easier to get into for a small, new vendor.

The advantage to the more strict faires is that you won't be competing with mass-produced import crap, and the most strict will limit how many vendors of a type are there, so you won't have another leather shop right next door to you. Of course, they're also much harder to get into, and have higher overhead costs (tent, garb, etc).

[UKRay]

It sounds like every show has its own 'take' on the way history is presented - It isn't clear who, exactly, makes the rules? Do they generally have a panel of experienced historians or is this more an 'ad hoc' thing that relies on someone having read a few historic novels?

I'm interested in your experiences with Living History groups, Ferret. It sounds like you have had a bad experience or two there. What happened?

Very grateful for the 'heads up' about the big Ren. Fayres. Thanks Whinewine. They look fantastic but they may be a bit daunting for a 'first timer'. One of the websites says they have around 100 traders at their event - this suggests that the competition is very hot and prices are cut to the bone. Is this true? You also suggest that the quantity of merchandise sold at these events is enormous - can you elaborate a little please? Anyone got any experience of stock turnover / potential revenues?

Can you tell me more about the smaller fayres please - how many traders usually attend and what do they sell?

Having checked them out, I've added the URLs for the biggies you mentioned to make things easier for folk to follow:

www.parenfaire.com

www.medievalfaire.com

Your info on the sort of products that sell is invaluable, Fishguy - many thanks. I'm interested that you say some traders make a significant amount of money - what makes them successful? Is it quality? Price? Volume sales? Are those who don't make much money just there for the fun?

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!

Edited August 13, 2008 by UKRay

[wildrose]

Actually, I've sold at the PA Renaissance Faire, and I do have an EZ Up. But you're not supposed to have plastic (i.e. signs, bags) at your booth. And you're encouraged to decorate the tent as much as possible to have it not look quite so modern.

[whinewine]

Actually, I've sold at the PA Renaissance Faire, and I do have an EZ Up. But you're not supposed to have plastic (i.e. signs, bags) at your booth. And you're encouraged to decorate the tent as much as possible to have it not look quite so modern.

Ok, I have been told that no ezups were permitted, & truthfully, I've never seen ANY ezups there, although I certainly could be mistaken... If I am, sorry, I apologize.

I did also double-checked with my son (who goes many more times than I), & he also confirms that no ezups are allowed & also has never seen one there (the internal roof struts are VERY distinctive & hard to hide, btw).

Having said that, I must note that there are a bunch of non-faire events that permit non-regulars to display their stuff= there is a 'Celtic Fling & Highland Games' event, a 'Great Green America Fest', a 'Great Pennsylvania Flavor Fest', a 'Raptors on Tour' event... & so on... These are generally one or two day events & are not part of the regular faire, per se. They allow someone who doesn't have the amount of stock necessary or $$$ necessary to showcase their talents for a very short period of time for a lot less money. These people are not the regular faire vendors that one sees on each & every weekend there. Their requirements are different.

Ray: yes, competition is high, vendor rents are high & so are the prices. People go there to enjoy, & to BUY. The quality of merchandise is very high & because so many, many people attend, one needs to have a sizeable quantity of quality stock to be able to last for the entire 14 weekends. At the last event my son & I did, we blew away the other 3 leathercrafting concerns (and btw, they had been attending this particular event years before we started- this is only our second year there-) & seriously cut into the stock we had brought with us- and people were running up & buying items even as we were packing up to leave at the end of this two day event.

These events are very different than your basic flea market venue, where vendors are routinely undercutting each other to try to make a sale.

The caveat on this is, however, you need to price to what the market will bear... I would NOT be able to sell some of my wares at the smaller events for the same prices I'd have to charge if I were in one of the BIG faires. People will simply not spend that kind of money at a small event, whereas, they expect (and WILL) pay for the same item at a big event. I think it's the psychological association/mystique to the BIG EVENT.

I can't really say what events are good & what ones are not. If the potential clientele have no idea what a renfaire is, & more importantly, absolutely would not be caught dead in costume- ever- then this kind of an event is going to be a bust. Once, a bunch of us vendors went to a restaurant afterward and a customer made a very loud comment about men in skirts (I wear a kilt)= the comment came from a guy wearing a red tee shirt with his belly hanging over his camoflage pants which were being held up with brown suspenders= when you're in this kind of environment, ya kinda know where you stand.

My suggestion is to stay away from FIRST TIME FAIRES!!! They MAY be ok, but there is a better than normal chance that they're NOT! I refuse to do a first time faire unless I get sizeable concessions or I don't do it. The very first faire we ever did was a first time event put on by a man whose answer to dealing with problems (& by gosh, there were many) was to run away from you & all the other vendors and hide in his office. Dollar wise, we lost our asses on that one.

Sorry I ramble, but I'm merely bringing up some pitfalls.

P.S.: as far as shoes go, sandals blend in well. I can't see purchasing a pair of custom boots that begin at $500 USD for a simple, 1 button pair (I would love to have a custom 5 or 6 side-button pair of faire boots, with antique silver coins for buttons & exotic leathers in the construction, but I just can't justify the over $2000 USD it would cost me just for a part for my costume.) If the weather is warm, I wear Teva sandles, if it's cold out, I use non-descript, scuffed hunting boots. So far, no one has complained.

russ

Edited August 13, 2008 by whinewine

[wildrose]

It's certainly possible they don't allow them anymore at PARF, but speaking from personal experience they did (it was 4 yrs ago)...

[ferret]

I'm interested in your experiences with Living History groups, Ferret. It sounds like you have had a bad experience or two there. What happened?

I'll reply in pm, don't want to get into a long rant over something that has little to do with leather.

This is a brief summary some wit came up with.

Edited August 14, 2008 by ferret