Hello,
I am thinking of doing multiple Christmas markets. Do you think it is wise? A day or weekend in October, a weekend in November and maybe a day in December.
Cheers!
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This is one of those ‘how long is a piece of string?’ questions. I think I did about a dozen christmas markets during Nov/ Dec in different venues last year - trial and error has told me that these ones are worth doing for my product. However it is not worth doing lots of markets if they are not the right market for your product so doing a few carefully selected ones where you make lots of sales is better than doing lots but make few sales. You need to find the right market for your product (and what works for you as a person, a day market requires stamina (and stock) and doing a weekend market is full on and not for everybody), I realise this has been very much a non answer.
Agree with Sasha @SashaGarrett - after spending time finding the right markets for me I moved and had to start all over again! Its easy to think that you will be able to sell at Christmas time and it is no doubt the best time of year to do markets but there are still some good and some bad. Did one last year that was fairly big and lots of people had recommended - bad mistake as footfall was non existent and I didnt sell a single thing whereas I did really well at others (so assuming it wasn’t down to my product!) I really enjoy doing fairs when they work well but you have to be prepared to weed out the chaff and put the bad ones down to experience. If you cant afford to lose the table fee then I would suggest visiting a few markets this year and see what they are like and the sort of customer attending so you can gauge whether they would be worth doing next year.
Thank you ladies. I am organising as a volunteer for my local charity. They run a gorgeous community hall on the main road with links to William Morris and have arts and crafts credentials. It is however reputed for their previous table top events which I am trying to change. We had our first craft market this year and it was badly timed as the mainly European shoppers in the area attended the People’s vote march in town, there was also a concert closeby and there’s the world cup. I spent my own money to advertise it. Surprisingly though, most of the vendors are happy. We didn’t sell a lot, but this was the first and they know I have my heart into developing the event into something they as local makers benefit later.
I want to do the October and November events as requested by the vendors but I am not sure about the December one as I think people will like to go to town and splash there. That’s why I am asking here.
If you can build a good reputation for the event and offer thing like free parking and everything under one (warm and dry) roof then I think that shoppers will come. (and if you can also offer a reasonably priced cafe with minced pies and mulled wine to make it a bit more of a shopping event then that also goes down well with punters) Have a look online and find out when other craft markets are on in the area and pick a different day though.
Coffe and tea : 50p a cup
Homemade cakes and cookies: £1/50p each. The ladies at the church make them. Profits go to the church.
I think I will put that in the next flyer and find a volunteer to stand and distribute in the high street (5 minutes away).
Since the organiser (me) is picky with my cuppa… hubby donates large boxes of PG tips. lol
Old ladies noticed the difference and it is a good thing. 
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Definately highlight it - some where to park the other half (and kids) and bags whilst you go off and shop in peace or somewhere to have a restorative cuppa after all that shopping. Volunteers on the high street handing out flyers (and arrows/ posters so that they can find their way from the high street to the venue) are also a good thing - I’ve done a couple of events where my OH ended up stood outside with a large sign and we noticed the difference in footfall when he had to nip off to get food etc.
(also where is it? cake at £1 a slice I’m tempted)
This is our website. Basically the other end of the M11 from Cambridge.
http://woodfordcraftmarket.co.uk/
When you have a flyer ready for the events let us (me) have it and I’ll fling it on facebook I think I have some followers in that neck of the woods.
Thank you! Will post one here
I think I will do only one for now that is on the 24th of November as the community volunteers (they’re in change of the food and drinks) would be tired by then as they have other events lined up.
Ideally, I want this to be a regular 3 a year event. Spring(Feb), early summer (May) and late November for early Christmas. Summer have way too many competitions for events in my area (school fetes) and bigger craft fairs in East and central London.