Here we go again
22nd June, 09
So last Saturday was the Big On Bloor festival. Did anyone go check it out? If you didn’t I don’t blame you. Saturday was wet, cold and windy. Not exactly a good day for a street festival.
We love the Big On Bloor show. Lots of people, nice vendors. Even with little rain showers last year we had a busy busy day. We were happy to sign up for the show again this year and had high hopes that, if the weather was nice, the festival would’ve been even more awesome. But of course that wasn’t the case.
We did four outdoor summer festivals last year, and it rained at every single one. It’s even more frustrating when the weather on the day before the festival, and the day after, is beautiful and sunny (much like it was last weekend). Paper products like mine and rainy days don’t go well together. More often than not the damages caused by water costs me more than the booth itself. I’ve done enough outdoor shows by now (and wrecked enough paper products) to know that I should only bring with me items that are water resistant, like jewelry and tote bags. It’s not ideal but it’s do-able.
We woke up on Saturday to rain. On and off rain, heavy at times. The show didn’t start till 1p.m. so we thought maybe the weather would clear up a little by late morning. When the rain didn’t let up we considered skipping the show altogether and go watch a matinee instead. But we had to go to this show, a friend of mine signed up for the Big On Bloor festival and this was her first show EVER! She’s been a long time jewelry maker who have never gotten the nerve to do a show before. This was her big break and we wanted to go and be supportive.
We got there at noon, it was wet and miserable outside. Forget about everything else for a minute, let’s just get the tent up so we’re not standing in the rain. The boy and I quickly moved into our spot and assembled the tent (seriously we’ve assembled this tent so many times we could’ve done it with our eyes closed). After the tent was set up we looked around to find my friend and her sister at a neighbouring spot, struggling with their tent in the rain. Why haven’t they set up their tent yet?
We go over to say hello and see what’s up. They’ve been here a couple hours already struggling with her tent. For some reason her tent just wasn’t coming together. The person they had borrowed it from didn’t include instructions, some poles were longer, some were shorter. The tent looked more like a rhombus than a square! She shooed us away and told us to not to worry.
I went back to my tent to set up and the boy stayed with her to help. A couple of my other friends showed up and I told them to go over to help as well. Everyone was standing in the rain getting wet, trying to yank this rhombus tent a square tent. It’s just not happening. What to do? What to do??
By then the show has officially started. Even with the rain there were people walking around and shopping. Her tent isn’t even set up yet what a disaster! Oh jeez it took her so long to get the courage to sign up for this show I really wanted it to go well for her. And if this show doesn’t go well she may not do another show again. Alright it’s time for an intervention…
I went over and told her to abandon that stupid tent. Come over and set up your stuff in my booth. Quick quick now the show’s already started! I packed all of my stuff back in boxes and brought her boxes over. With the two of us working, we started setting up her jewelry and displays on the double.
When the boy and crew finished packing up her rhombus tent, everyone came over to huddle under ours. No point really since we all looked like a bunch of wet kittens at this point. We just finished setting up her stuff when customers started coming by. Being her first time she was a little shy to approach people so the boy and I started talking with customers and selling. It’s fun actually selling things that you didn’t make. I always feel like I’m bragging a little bit when I sell my own stuff. It’s much easier to talk up the stuff when you’re not the maker.
There were times when the rain showers turned into heavy down pour and even under our poor little tent everyone and everything was getting wet. The rain did eventually let up and it turned out to be quite a decent afternoon. My friend made a few sales and handed out business cards. I’m so glad it turned out well for her and she did say that she had fun so I’m hoping she’d do another show with me. I never did set up any Smitten Kitten stuff at the end by oh well there’s always next time.
Categories: show review.
Tags: Big On Bloor Festival, Toronto.
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