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How To Find Craft Shows In Your Area
Have you considered selling your art and handmade crafts at local craft shows?
If you are trying to earn more money from things you create, selling your work at local craft shows and fairs might be something you want to consider.
Participating in local craft shows is a great way to generate income and build name recognition in your area.
Selling crafts locally puts you in front of people who want to support local crafters and artists.
Even if you sell your artwork and handmade crafts online, building name recognition at local art fairs will help you build a massive fanbase online.
The list of local craft fairs will be lengthy, so it is important to pick the best shows for your creations.
We have come up with some of the best ways you can find the best craft fairs for your creations
Community Facebook Pages
The first place to start looking for local craft fairs is on Facebook.
Many cities and towns have community Facebook pages where local crafters share information about upcoming events.
Smaller organizations like church events and schools post on community pages when they are looking for vendors.
If you do not see an existing post, ask the community for help. Many people will guide you in the right direction.
Ask a few of your friends to keep an eye out and ask them to tag you in any posts related to what you sell.
You might have some luck searching on other social media platforms like Twitter, Linkedin, and Pinterest.
We recommend new crafters start at a small event to learn what they need to do.
The first show is more about observing how other crafters display their products.
Related Post – 5 Tips For Setting Up Your Craft Display
Find Local Craft Shows At Churches And Schools
Many local churches and schools try to earn money for their organizations by holding local church craft shows, bake sales, and carnivals.
Just because an event is small doesn’t mean you will not sell as much.
We know many crafters who do better at smaller church events than at larger events with more vendors.
These events are usually smaller, and the booth fees are often lower, making them significant events for crafters whose art is just starting to sell at local craft fairs.
Some small events might ask you to donate a raffle product to help them raise money, along with a booth fee.
Ask your friends if they know of any local churches or schools that hold craft fairs.
You can also search for upcoming events on your local churches and school’s website or follow them on Facebook and Twitter.
The best time to start looking is in early spring because most organizations have a new schedule for the upcoming year.
Related Post – How To Optimize Your Craft Fair Sales
City Calendars
Many cities and towns have a calendar of events on their website.
Smaller events post on this calendar because they do not have enough revenue and work hours to promote their events on other listings.
Check if there is an art organization for your town or city.
Joining an art organization in your area will help you meet and network with other local artists and crafters.
Once familiar with shows in your area, look into state-wide craft shows and craft fairs.
Art And Craft Magazines And Local Newspapers
Some craft show organizers will post a classified ad in local newspapers to help find crafters and vendors.
Another place to look is the back of craft magazines.
Etsy Forum
Etsy has a forum that many artists and crafters do not know about called Etsy Community.
To find local events and information on the Etsy Community, visit Etsy Community, type in keywords in the search bar, and click Teams.
A list of ongoing threads of upcoming events relating to the query you entered will appear.
Online Craft Fair Resources
The last thing I would like to share with you is these online craft directories.
- Craftster Calendar
- Festival Network Online
- Eventbrite
- FairsandFestivals.net
- Art & Craft Show Yellow Pages
You can also do a Google search by typing in Google’s search, Local Craft Shows (YOUR AREA).
Final Thoughts On Finding Local Craft Fairs
Selling handmade goods at a local fair is a great way to build a handmade craft business.
You can start building name recognition in your local area and display an email address sign-up log to send newsletters about upcoming events and products they can purchase on your handmade website.