Attending Your First Craft Fair

There’s a lot to think about when you go to a Craft Fair, so we’ve broken it down into a little checklist for you. Always remember to reach out to the organiser beforehand to check some of these things in advance.

Table

Some events will tell you that they will provide a table and/or chair, and others you will need to bring your own. If you are told that you should bring your own, you should double check the following:

• Are there any size requirements
• How many chairs will be provided (often it’s only one so you might need to take an extra one with you)

For a basic, starter table, I like this one from Amazon. It’s 4ft wide so will meet even the strictest size requirements of a venue. Plus it folds flat so can be transported really easily.

For something a little more advanced, I’d recommend this adjustable height table – ideal if you are doing a lot of fairs and have varying needs, or if you want to use it for various different things.

For a slightly larger table, you can use something like this 5ft version. Always make sure to check places like Facebook Marketplace or Ebay if you think you might not use it very much – it’s good to reuse and recycle where you can!

Table Cover

Having a cover for your craft fair table is essential. Not only does it make it look nice – as long as you have one long enough, you can cover the whole table all the way to the floor. This means you can store your boxes and things underneath without it looking untidy.

With a cover, my best advise is to use an old flat bed sheet (as long as it’s clean!). You can have one in whatever colour scheme you like. If you don’t have a spare one, you can pick them up pretty cheaply online, or somewhere like Primark.

Before you buy a new one – take one you already have and see what size works best. If you are buying a new one, try to get one in the highest quality (like this one), and make sure you can double layer it – it will look much nicer. And don’t forget to iron it!

Display

Depending on what you sell, you will need to think carefully about how to display it best at craft fairs. The key to pretty much any display is HEIGHT. Don’t just set everything down flat on the table – think of ways you can elevate your products.

If you have larger products like bowls, pictures, ornaments, etc, try some sort of block. A sturdy shoe box could be ideal (test your items on it beforehand) and you can position it under your table cover.

You can also try – if the venue permits – some funky upturned crates on the floor to stand some of the largest items. We love these from Etsy, but you can probably find some from local online marketplaces too.

If the position of your table allows, you might have a wall against which you could position some shelving. We simply adore this one from Etsy – just make sure you can secure it so it doesn’t fall over. You could even use a vintage step ladder.

For smaller items including jewellery, how about a peg board? You can get loads of attachments to display all kinds of things. This one from Amazon is ideal for smaller items – you can hang jewellery on the pegs, or use the little shelves. The best bit is that you can configure it depending on what items you have for sale. Just make sure it can stand up on its own if there’s not a wall to lean it against.

Finally, make sure you have a stash of hand sanitiser, anti-bac wipes, tissues, kitchen roll and blu-tac.

Literature

People will want to reach you in case they want to buy something later. Make sure you have some business cards or leaflets printed out so they people can take them away. You can get some incredible value literature options from Awesome Merchandise or, our favourite, MOO

A more eco-friendly way is to have a print out of a QR code (you can generate a free one here) so that people can like your Facebook page or open your website straight away. That way you can target them with ads and promotions in the future.

Getting people’s information

As well as giving people your information, it’s really great to get information from them in return. This way you can add them to newsletters and send them details on new products or special offers. For this, you can run a little competition on your stall, or have a way for them to sign up to your newsletter.
Make sure you are aware of the GDPR rules around this – basically they have to knowingly agree to receive your emails. If you are running a giveaway in exchange for personal info, you cannot add someone to your mailing list by default. They must actively say yes – so add a disclaimer and a check box to your form so they can fill it out.

Of course, you are permitted to reach out to someone via email – without permission – to notify them that they have won the competition.

Payments

Taking payments is even more important now than ever, with fewer and fewer people using cash. It used to be the case that we would remind people to take enough spare change with them – and that’s still important – but you need to consider how you will take contactless payments.

A portable payment device such as SumUp will allow you to effortlessly take card payments from your customers at any craft fair.

Order book

If you make personalised items and are hoping to take some orders at your craft fairs, you should consider an order book. You can get some gorgeous – even personalised – ones on Etsy. This will definitely add a level of professionalism to your craft fair stand.

And that’s it! They were our top tips for attending your first craft fair. Now that you’re all set, head over to the Events page and find your first craft fair!