Where to look for craft fairs?
If you are just starting out with your handmade business it is a good idea to attempt selling your items at some craft fairs. Fairs give you a good indication of what items are most often picked up or purchased. At the same time you will get real time feedback from customers on your items. This feedback can give you an idea if your products, pricing and quality are of a level that customers are happy with.
However when you first start looking for craft fairs it can be difficult to know where to look to find them. I have put together a list of my top 7 places to look to find available events in your area.
Facebook is a fountain of information for crafters and a great source for searching events. Try typing into the search bar your location and fairs. For example Lincolnshire fairs or Lincolnshire stall. There may be some Facebook groups that will advertise events that will be on locally to you. This is the best place to start looking as the majority of events are advertised on Facebook, whereas they may not be advertised anywhere else. You could also use the events section of Facebook to search for fairs that are coming up in your area.
Stall finder
There is a website that you can use to look for a large list of stalls available in your area. Just be aware that sometimes these can be more concentrated on Market or car boot stalls however occasionally a craft event is advertised on this site. Therefore it is a good place to have a look to see if there is anything available. You can access their website on https://www.stallfinder.com/
Village/community hall notice board
If you are in the area of a village or community hall it is worth having a quick look at their notice board. It is a good place to see if there are any events coming to the hall in the future that are offering stalls to crafters and artisans. Once you have done an event it is common for them to contact you if future events come up.
Events companies
In some areas there are events companies who manage the stalls for a number of events in the area. They will manage a number of locations and dates, therefore if you can get in contact with them you can obtain a list of fairs that are coming up that may be suitable. A google search of events and your area should bring up some of the local organisers.
Fellow crafters advice for Craft Fairs
Once you have been doing craft events a little while you will find that you will often bump into the same stall holders who are selling along side you. As a rule crafters are very approachable and talkative therefore they are an absolute wealth of information. It is a great idea to talk to your follow crafters and gauge which events are worthwhile in the area and where they look to find fairs.
Location websites e.g. Castle / show ground
In Lincolnshire we have a wealth of attractions and locations that hold craft fairs. Having a quick browse of visitor attractions close to you may give you a list of places to keep an eye on for events. A number of farm parks, national trust properties and parks for example often hold charity events that stalls can attend. If you find these attractions and then subscribe to their social media either Facebook or Twitter you will be informed when an event is planned. Large events are quite common at showgrounds or conference centres so it may be worth while investigating these as well.
Etsy local
Etsy is a site that a lot of crafter and artisans use to sell their products online. In addition to providing an online platform there is also a part of Etsy that lets your search for local events that Etsy sellers will be attending near you. Their site can be accessed through https://www.etsy.com/local/ from here you may find where some of the local events will be taking place and get hold of contact details to book a place.
Please be aware that craft fairs are not the be all and end all of selling crafts. There are a number of places that you can sell your wares. It is worth experimenting to find the best platform for you and your crafts. Although I would say that craft fairs are the best way to find out the customer feedback for your items.
If you are looking for more information on running your craft business have a look at my blog post on how I grew my business at https://claireyatfairycrafters.com/growing-my-craft-business-how-i-did-it/ or if you are just getting started have a read of my post on starting a craft business https://claireyatfairycrafters.com/crafting-from-hobby-to-income/
