Blog - Craft Fair Vendor Resources

FestivalNet

You found a festival that looks promising. The dates work, the location is reasonable, and the application fee seems fair. But before you click submit, there's one question every experienced vendor asks: is this festival actually worth my time?

After almost 25 years working festivals across the country, I can tell you that choosing the wrong festival doesn't just cost you a booth fee — it costs you a weekend of your life, travel expenses, and the opportunity to be somewhere better.

Here's how to evaluate a festival before you commit.

Check the history first

A festival with a track record is your safest bet. Search for it on FestivalNet and look at how many years it has been running. A five or ten year history tells you that organizers know what they're doing, the community shows up, and vendors keep coming back. A brand new festival — what experienced vendors call a "first year show" — is a gamble. Attendance is unpredictable, organization is often shaky, and there's no way to know if the promoter can actually deliver the crowd they're promising.

Attendance numbers matter more than you think

When researching on FestivalNet, pay close attention to attendance figures. For most vendors, you want to see at least 10,000 attendees to make a festival worth the investment of your time and setup. Smaller local events can work in certain circumstances, but as a general rule, more people means more sales opportunities. Don't be swayed by an event that sounds exciting if the numbers don't support it.

Look at the demographic

Not every crowd is your crowd. A festival that draws 20,000 people who aren't interested in your product or service won't serve you as well as a smaller, well-targeted event. Think about who attends — families with children, young adults, tourists, locals — and whether that matches what you're offering. FestivalNet lets you filter and research by category, which helps you find events that align with your specific market.

Search by season and location strategically

Timing matters as much as location. Use FestivalNet's search tools to look at festivals by month and region, then layer in weather patterns for that area. Planning your festival calendar around weather isn't just smart — it protects your investment.

Trust the data, not the marketing

Festival organizers are naturally enthusiastic about their events. What's harder to fake is a consistent history of strong vendor reviews and real attendance numbers. Do your homework on FestivalNet, talk to other vendors who have worked the event before, and let the data guide your decisions more than the promotional materials.

Choosing the right festivals is genuinely one of the most important skills you can develop as a vendor. The good news is that with the right tools and a little patience, you can build a calendar that works hard for you every season.