Craft Fairs / Events Northern Ireland 2009

SuperMum2008

Hi Belle - which is the fair at the end of the month - can you remind me!

belle87

SuperMum2008 wrote: »

Hi Belle - which is the fair at the end of the month - can you remind me!

warrenpoint on 27th. have to make sure they have booked my place. did u have good weekend away?

SuperMum2008

Yes thankyou Belle - eldest daughter's birthday so a nice weekend of beach walking and shopping with her and some friends! I dont think I heard back from Warrenpoint either...better get in touch!

belle87

gor reply table is booked hope to see some of you there

SuperMum2008

I tried to email today for Warrenpoint, but the email bounced back to me. Have left phone message instead. Hopefully I can get a table!

greenworks

Hi again!

Not sure if any of you sell on the Etsy site? There is a new team on there of craft folks North and South that is about networking and sharing info on craft fairs etc. There is a plan to meet up for the 1st time in Dublin in July and if that goes ok then I'll be trying to organize a date for a 2nd meet up in Belfast.

Like Supermom I'm fed up with fairs that haven't been promoted well enough - especially tough and expensive as I don't drive and use public transport - or that cost a small fortune for a stall. So want to explore getting venues and running our own craft events across the country. The Black Box is an option for Belfast if there would be enough craft people wanting to take part. It is 200 to hire the place for a day so even if only 20 attended that would be a tenner each. Obviously the more stall holders the cheaper it is each. They have an opening early August which would give us enough time to get organized and promote etc.

Plan is that it would only be for people who are making the products themselves aka no vintage or re-sellers. I'd need some help trying to plan this so all help /advice welcome. Dunno if any of know about the renegade events that happen in the USA? They have taken off and were started by a couple of crafters fed up with high costs etc etc. Ambitious maybe but I see no reason why if we take things into our own hands that we couldn't have an annual or bi-annual big craft event that doesn't cost us the earth, is well advertised etc`etc.

Anyway! Wanted to run that by you all and see if there is any interest from people on here

Hummm as a new user I'm not allowed to send links to other sites so if you want to check out etsy site it's etsy dot com ... and best way to contact me back on etsy and name there is greenworks. Then I can send you link to the team I mentioned etc.

Thanks
Maura

SuperMum2008

THanks Maura - think this is a great idea, although it does exclude me if you put the exclusion on things not made by me..I sell handmade fair trade bags and gifts made by a women's co-operative in Nepal - would be sad to miss out :-( I can understand that sometimes fairs are full of book stalls and non-handmade cards, and that these might not be considered a "craft" as such, but my stuff is hand crafted, and every piece is different so I do get a bit frustrated sometimes just because I didnt sit and felt every little ball myself!!

Re Etsy - I use it a lot for kitting stuff as a hobby though, and it is a fantastic site. I do think the idea of running our own events somewhere is a great one. We have a great community centre near us that I can hire...anyone interested?

greenworks

Hi supermom!

Hear you on the fair trade and frustration etc. Sorry! Flip side is wee crafters find it hard to compete against some of the prices - I have some namaste and other fair trade products for example that I could sell cheaper than the things I make - kinda crazy huh?

Then again it depends on the feedback from folks - if not enough interest from crafters maybe others like fair trade/supplies would have to be included to make a successful event. Know there are good arguments for inclusing both of those categories. We'll see how things pan out. This is still at the a glint in my eye stage

Where is the leisure centre? For sure I'd be interested (long as it's on a bus or train route) and would tell other folks I know who would probably give it a go too. I sent links to here to the team on etsy as well as to a couple of other sellers I know - so hopefully they'll join here too and increase the info on what's happening where.

Meant to ask too if anyine else going to Castlewellan - I emailed Emma today to see if stalls still available - had to re-appy for the insurance so hope I haven't missed out on that one.

Re: fair trade - and hope this isn't against any forum rules - I don't sell them anymore but have stuff here I need to off load - so if you wanna check out what I have you can have it for below cost cos I need to clear space and get some much needed cash. Holler to me on etsy aboiut that if you're interested - I'm in Belfast.

m

belle87

hi greenworks sounds like a good plan you have going on, again like supermum it excludes myself i sell bombs etc but i havent started making my own as of yet i am looking into it as its something im keen on but for now i get mine from wholesalers.

FunkyMum_2

Hi greenworks I would be interested in a locally organised craft fair. I make nappy cakes & baby clothing bouquets - is that something that would be classed as handmade? Where is the Black Box? I haven't heard of it before. Re: etsy - this is the first time i've come across that site - do many of you sell on it?