I am now finally able to sit down and write up my review of my experience at the 23rd Annual Appel Farm Arts and Music Festival that took place on June 2nd, 2012 in Elmer, NJ.
This was still one of my first shows, as I start to break into the world of physical vending as opposed to online and commission selling. This was probably also one of the biggest events I would book, due mainly to the sheer number of people who attended. I believe they were expecting (and from what we could see, more than likely acquired) 5,000 to 6,000 people attending.
It was a fantastic day due to so many contributing factors; including the weather. Low/mid 70's, sun, small amount of clouds, and wind.
The weekend kicked off when my assistant, my cousin Staci arrived on Friday. We relaxed, went out to dinner and attempted to settle our nerves. I do believe she was more excited than I was nervous.
Saturday morning started with lots of nerves, and little to no sleep.
Up at 5:30 in the morning, and my husband John made breakfast for us. His famous pancakes and sausage.
Once us ladies were fully primped and ready to head out, we packed up the truck, double checked we had all necessary equipment and paperwork, and off we went.
A quick stop at a Wawa for ice for the cooler and more coffee for the assistant, and there we were, in under a half hour, in Elmer, NJ.
We had a very small (10 minutes tops) wait in line as the vendor vehicles lined up to be checked in. It was a VERY smooth process and any information the volunteers there could not tell us, they made sure to find out and return to us with the information. We did have a minor communication mishap between volunteers that were not informed we were told my husband would receive an additional wristband so that he could easily leave after our set up and return to break us down at the end of the day. It was quickly resolved with absolutely no problems.
Our set up went VERY smoothly. Tent up, tables up, everything out of the truck, and off my husband went with good wishes to us.
Staci was amazing and helping with product set up and display with wonderful advice and constructive criticism.
We were set up with ample time to sit back, relax, and also take a walk around to introduce ourselves to and meet some of the other crafters - especially the fellow jewelry artists.
What amazing people we met.
Sarah Stringer of
Winding Roads Jewelry was simply a delight to speak with. She offered some insights into her vending experiences as well as some help in the areas of Reiki after we discussed my troubles briefly. Her natural gem and stone jewelry is simply beautiful.
I have to admit that Beth of
From Junk 2 Funk was probably my absolute favorite fellow jewelry artist. Her energy was inspiring, and her jewelry, ingenious. There is not more that I can say about her jewelry without simply telling you to just visit her page and see for yourself.
Last, but not least is Raelinda Woad of
Storyteller Jewelry. My cousin/assistant Staci purchased a gift for me from this amazing artist. I received the gold/pink peacock Dream Incubator I had my eye on from the first visit to her stand. Amazing storyteller and gorgeous designs.
There were other purchases made (by Staci...shop-a-holic that she is), as well as many food vendor visits. A great value was had from the fresh squeezed lemonade stand. For $15 we received a reusable plastic cup with a lid and straw and received free refills throughout the day. We made good use of that and got more than our monies worth. Vietnamese sandwhiches, crab nachos, and of course, funnel cake were our samplings. Friends of ours that visited enjoyed the "Dog Bowl" (no.....REALLY!!!) of french fries, as well as some fantastic face painting for their son.
Our day continued as the gates opened and the attendees trickled, then steadily flowed in. There were many times our stand was swamped, complete with lines to check out, rushes to restock, and fielding many questions.
My artistry truly did seem to be appreciated, and many comments were made about the uniqueness of my jewelry style.
We made some fans, and even had some repeat customers!
I provided on site sizing and customizations for customers and that seemed to be an impressive offering, as many customers commented it was rare to find such personal and professional service at a "craft/art" show.
Many of my brochures and cards were taken for future orders.
I got to network with some amazing artists; both flourished and up and coming; as well as share my wares and artistry with some appreciative customers and on lookers.
I demonstrated virtually all day until my hands finally gave out about an hour or so before we were to close up.
At the end of the day our break down went very smoothly, as we did have some extra help from my friends that visited for the day with our complimentary passes. My husband came rolling back into the vendor area with no troubles. We packed up, checked out with the volunteers, and off we were to close up our day. We stopped by the Elmer Diner for some dinner and had an enjoyable time unwinding as much as we could.
A side trip was made on the way home for some sunburn after care; as Staci and I both got a wee bit burned before we decided to put on the sunblock.
Other than some sun and wind burn and tangled hair from the wind, it was a fantastic day.
I hope to be a repeat vendor/artist at the Appel Farm Arts and Music Festival next year simply due to the wonderful experience we had. From initial jury consideration, to close up of our stand the day of the festival it was such a positive experience.
Thank you to all of the volunteers and staff of the festival, my customers, the onlookers, the other artists jewelry and otherwise, my husband, my assistant, my un-official assistants, and to everyone who made our day even more spectacular.
