If you are planning on doing many outdoor events it is worth investing in a battery powered LED floodlight - mine cost £35 from screwfix - then you know what the light is like rather than having to cope with what the organisers supply. I have it on half power during the day for topping up light in my gazebo (for that extra sparkle on jewellery) and then full power when the sun goes down and it normally lasts all event (10 - 4pm) with enough juice left to pack up by. (also really useful for illuminating the loft, dark corners of the shed or side path if we are having a party in the garden)
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Thanks for the tip. This one was til 6. Was using my mobile to make sure i had everything!
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I wondered where you were and worked out it was Salford. Was there not a snow problem.
My market was called off because so many people cancelled. I wouldn’t have got there / back anyway as the A50 was closed both directions from Uttoxeter, accident one way, jack knifed lorry the other and the smaller roads were not an alternative.
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I was in Bramhall, a treat of 20 minute drive! I didn’t shout about it on Fb as I’d cancelled Derby Friday/Saturday without being charged and didn’t fancy too many questions from that organiser! At last was in my target market and making the most I’ve ever done from a £15 stall, made it even better. The organisers were good enough to discount the stalls as they weren’t what they promised. It is typical that Salford has finally moved indoors after the terrible one I was at, I’d have done it if I’d been invited.
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I cancelled one last weekend as I got a better offer at the Memorial Arboretum which was a super locatin (which reminds me I must book for the summer event).
So for a well publicised, popular fair with passing trade - you stay to the end with a big smile slapped on your face.
BUT an out of the way/with minimal passing trade type of thing? - I STILL stay to the end ( especially if it has been well organised and decently attended ) but maybe half an hour before end I will start some gentle clearing/thinning out and organising my bags.
One that has been pretty bad with poor footfall - maybe about 1/2 hour before end I will pack up. If I feel that the event hasn’t been promoted enough then I am afraid I don’t have quite the same commitment -an organiser does have to fulfil their part of the ‘bargain’ too,
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Absolutely. Attended one ‘fair’ a few years ago. Outside a pub. on the main road down somewhere near Congleton. Drove past on the way there as there wasn’t a single sign to say it was there.
Ended up after about 2 hours marooned on an island, with a moat round my table and gazebo after heavy rain and the water didn’t drain. There were a few visitors…mainly sheltering from the rain. Left early …when the moat broke its banks.
Felt no responsibility to the organiser who quite clearly had not fulfilled their side of the ‘contract’.
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I have had a couple of bad ones this year but I don’t necessarily get cross at organisers but I also do give honest feedback.
One was by a lovely girl - a charity one something that deeply affected her personally - but out off the way hall, no promotion that I could find anywhere online apart from one newspaper article about her. So the only people who came where her circle of friends - maybe 20 lovely stalls, a facepainter, cake stall, bouncy castle, … maybe 25 30 people came in ? such a shame - however the 3 customers I had each bought a lot so I was fine . She was so apologetic though so I did say you have to promote more and consider a more central location with passing trade - even if it’s a smaller event. She was very sweet and it was her first event so no point in being mean 
Another one was a huge 2 day event - but without going into masses of detail being stuck up a muddy hill away from the craft market surrounded by ’ car boot’ stuff and a guy selliing lawnmowers was not ideal. Again a lovely man organising it ( but his first time in that role ) who at the end asked how we’d done ( I was sharing marquee with a good friend . We didn’t beat about the bush but said that he’d put us in the worst place possible and we’d done badly - but had fun though. We suggested a few tweaks for next year and he again was happy to take feedback on board.
If it’s it’s someones first time organising something I will be forthright but kind
I have learnt to monitor online promotion closely now - if it isn’t being done and it’s not an established fair with passing trade I don’t do them. The best ones I have done recently are school ones with very savvy people running them!
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I’ve done a few very dead ones but always stayed until the end. It’s so unprofessional to leave early! If it’s really bad just don’t do the fair it again.
Yes I take ages to pack up and so, if things are quiet, I start the gentle thinning process about 45 mins before the end, putting away a few of each item. I can always get them out again if someone shows an interest in that particular thing and wants to see colour variations. But like the rest of you I hate it when people start dismantling everything early. And in my experience it is often started by the bigger outfits - people who probably do stalls every week and maybe therefore have put less effort into getting ready for this one (unlike those of us who only do a few a year and so do tons of work building up to them). Mind you, I am not saying that everyone who does regular stalls is like this - some of them are lovely and have held out to the end like the rest of us. But the other problem I find is that once one person starts packing up it sometimes starts a wave of others doing the same and suddenly you are surrounded by half dismantled stalls and boxes everywhere - totally off putting to people who come in to buy.
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I agree to keep going until the bitter end. I made an exception last weekend, though. We were snowed in on the second day. I eventually managed to get there at about 2pm to find the whole hall deserted. (supposedly open 10-4) Everyone had gone. Thankfully there was an organiser still packing away tables, but it was just one of those things. I only sold two things on the Saturday and made a big loss overall, but I guess they won’t do a refund for snow. I never expected such a snowfall in December!
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Not seen your shop before. Love these. https://folksy.com/items/7038077-Domed-polished-silver-diamond-drop-earrings
I always like to stay until the end if possible. I do understand that people have given up their weekend and maybe precious time with their children or husband, and if no customers are arriving it is tempting to go home.
I think when it is quiet it is a great chance to network with other stall holders and get valuable information about other events and do or don’ts. I also try to take something with to do, this helps the time go quickly but also stops you pouncing on the customer when they look at your stall. If you have wifi you can also send pictures of your items and sell them online while your there 
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I think fairs are a communal event. Everytime you promote, greet customers, make your stall look as great as possible, sell original items, it benefits the whole event, not just yourself, and everyone else selling there. Just because you are not selling well, are cold, or forgot your sandwiches…it is simply not fair to pack up early. You are all in it together. As someone else said, its simply not professional, and makes you look a hobbyist.
If things are dire, then if all the stallholders get together, and agree on a time to leave early, and do it at the same time, then I think that’s probably acceptable. Weve all been there, its terrible when theres no trade, and disheartening too, but you have to think of the bigger picture and all come to a decision together.
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Making the decision to leave early should never be an easy one, its not fair on the other sellers who want to stay, when you are surrounded by people packing up, particularly if the next stage is they get the car and put it across your stand so they can load up!!
I have sat at many many quiet events, one of the worst and the only one when I did pack up half way thru, was a street fair I did last year. When I turned up, I was told the street wasn’t actually being closed (eh - health and safety???) the only thing that protected me and my stand from the tractors and lorries zooming past was the pavement!! I gave it the benefit of the doubt and set up as far back as I could. Once set up I looked around to see who had set up around me, as you do. The stalls were so spread out ( 2 with me, 2 over there, 2 down the road) my heart sank a bit more, but I carried on, then the trickle of locals came out and clearly had no interest in buying anything that wasn’t a plasma telly (did I really just say that! sorry bit of a snob!) by 1pm (due to finish at 4pm) I apologised to my neighbours and said I couldn’t take it any more, it was far too quiet and my stock and I were getting covered in car fumes and road dust!!
I am now very particular where I go (as I dont go out as much as I used to) I now research the event thoroughly, look at the previous years footfall (ask organisers if I have to), taking into account the weather, scan photos of previous years to see how busy it is, ask other traders (always take that with a pinch of salt tho as we all sell different stuff). I make a rule not to go anywhere that is running for the first time, I have a budget that I spend on pitch fees and where possible visit it as a punter first.
And then after all that, if it was a rubbish event I just vow never to go again and stick with the ones I have done well at.
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Thank you everyone who has taken the time to answer my post. I feel much happier that I’ll know what to do if it happens again and it’s interesting to hear the wide range of experiences people have had
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