So it’s mid-June at the moment, and I’m prepping for my upcoming craft fair in Portland, Maine on June 28!
I've already done one craft fair this year during April in Milford, NH.
PLUS I plan to do three more craft fairs this year:
- Cream Cheese Festival: Lowville, NY - September 2025
- Holiday Fine Craft & Artisan Show: Hampton, NH - November 2025
- UNH Maker’s Expo: Durham, NH - December 2025
That makes it a total of five craft fairs I’ll be doing this year!
I bet you’re wondering, “Why so many craft fairs??” (because this is a lot of work folks)
Well, it’s because at the end of 2024 as I was doing some strategic planning (my fave thing), I was considering a lot of different ways I could shape my path going forward after my first 6 months in business:
- Change/add nothing to my current process (a valid choice!)
- Do a few craft fairs,
- Set up a monthly art club (think Patreon-style, or a snail mail/art subscription where I would send goodies to you every month),
- Open up commissioned work,
- Sell original work,
- Explore wholesale opportunities, and even
- Look into live painting at events like weddings.
As we’ve established, I sometimes have a problem putting too much on my plate, so obviously I can’t pursue all of this at once, especially because I’m still working a full time job.
So — as we do when we are faced with difficult decisions — I asked myself an important question: which choice most aligns with my values in this moment?
I considered my top personal values: personal growth, relationships, creativity, and adventure.
I also thought about other factors, like the amount of work and time involved, my capacity this year vs. years to come, and my current location. Eventually, I settled on my priority for the year — craft fairs.
As someone who’s attended my fair share of craft fairs, I love the focus on relationship building and community. I love going up to an artist and asking them more about their process, what inspires them, and appreciating the beauty they’re offering the world.
I wanted to dip my toe into the craft fair world, and so I entered the UNH Maker’s Expo in December 2024 — just to see if I’d like it. I didn’t know what to expect, and as with everything you try for the first time, I tried to have minimal expectations.
Spoiler alert: I loved it.
My favorite part was seeing people connect with my art. Saying things like, “This print would be perfect for my mom!” or “Is this painting of UNH??”
My booth was so much busier than I expected! I sold out of two items in the first couple hours and was blown away by the support for my little art shop.
Was it a ton of work? Yes. Was it super tiring, even for an extrovert like me? Yes. Was it still worth it? Absolutely.
This experience solidified for me that this is a path I want to invest in — at least for the next year! I quickly applied to the events in 2025 that fit with my schedule (including some juried shows that are difficult to get into!), and was so excited to be accepted!
And so, the year of the craft fair had begun.
I'd love to hear from you below!
- What has been your experience with craft fairs?
- Any wisdom or lessons that stand out to you?
- If you haven't done craft fairs yet, what holds you back?
I'll be back to let you know my reflections on the year once it is over!
