Pinole Cruisin in the Park

On Sunday, June 29, we were vendors at the 'Cruisin in the Park' car show at Fernandez Park in Pinole.

Left home at 5:10 and arrived at Fernandez Park around 5:45. I had to seek out Kathy, who showed us where our booth was to be located. I then drove the van over and we began setting up. This was in a ball field...deep second base just into right-center field. At least we weren't way out in left field, which was actually the far end of the show.We were able to park the van behind the booth. They had a lot of cars on display in the event....perhaps a hundred on the field in front of us and more off to the left. There were many more spread througout the event all the way over to San Pablo Avenue.

To read more about the show from a vendor's perspective, please visit my website:
http://www.starvingvendors.com/Events_Pinole_Crusin_in_the_Park_Car_Show_June_2009.html

Lake Havasu CIty Winterfest

February 7-9, 2009. vendor application Lake Havasu Chamber of Comm

24th Annual Winterfest held downtown along McCulloch Blvd. Reasonable fees for booths; check vendor application-fees vary. Bus License is require along with insurance.

We did this event for a number of years but didn't make much of a net profit because we drove out from the Bay Area and stayed in a motel 6. (This particular Motel 6 was located about 2 blocks from our space)

This really draws a large, slow-walking crowd but they looked like zombies strolling down the street, looking neither to the left or to the right. Most of them could care less...just enjoying the nice weather this area usually has to offer during the month of February. Some snow birds; mostly locals.... virtually all of which did not spend and we didn't see a lot of them carrying bags.

We have two micro climates existing on the street. If you are faced toward the sun, it can be a pleasant, warm day with occasional breezes and you can wear your shorts and t-shirts. While on the other side, you get very little sun and often you'll need winter clothing and the wind is much colder as it whips its way around the booths.

We will not be doing this event, since we will be at Tyson Wells at the Arts & Crafts Fair (Space PQ-2) until around Feb 15. I've enjoyed Havasu over the years and we had several good shows there, but we are getting older and we would rather set up once for 17 days instead of for a 2-day show. Lots of food there. You'll enjoy.

For more information about events and info, please visit Starving Vendors. I have many reviews of shows we did this past year. Menu: Guide to Shows>reviews> then choose the dates and the shows for that time period will apear. Get insight into a lot of events and read what vendors have to go through. Read our review of the Lake Havasu City Winterfest

Glendale Chocolate Affair - Looking for Criminals?

The promoters are subjecting their vendors to a background check to see if they are criminals and actually forcing them to pay them $60 for the favor. I recently posted this to one of my other blogs, Events and Festivals and I decided that we need more exposure on this. This fee is on top of the $475 they are charging for spaces at the Glendale Chocolate Affair.

Glendale Chocolate Affair. Vendor Applications I was just looking through a number of event listings on a website and I noticed that vendors are forced to pay $60 for a 'background check fee.' They are charging $450.00 for an Arts and Crafts booth...at least they supply the booth, but that, my friends is pretty darn high, especially in this life and times.

Let's dwell on that $60 fee for a background check for a few seconds. I am certain that vendors will have to provide their SSN, Drivers License Number and probably some other material for them to run a trace on. Now, here ya go. We have somebody paying $475 for a 10x10 spot to sell their artwork, Do you think that somebody selling their lovely artwork at this show should be subjected to having a police check on them looking for warrants, etc. Do you really think these people are criminals. Only reason these people are not objecting is that they need to make money and moreso, enjoy displaying their artwork for people to see.

These individuals are being treated like criminals. A year ago, I (and several other vendors) had to shell out $25 for a 'police permit' which is the same thing and I felt that my rights were violated. Seriously, do they consider vendors to be criminals? That would piss me off if I was extorted like that for $60 in order to run a background check on me.

I know for darn sure this does not cost $60 and I find this to be a slap in the face of vendors. What are they doing.....feeding the person a nice steak dinner while that person sits at his computer and enters the person's name into some software. They do not have the right to force vendors to fork over the $60. Seems to me that the promoters of this event are the real criminals. I have nothing to do with this event, but I read about it and I am perturbed and I really frown over things like this. Vendors should voice their disapproval over this and demand their $60 money back. Sorry. Not right by any standards. Heck, these people could get away with charging vendors a $50 bathroom /porta pottie fee and get away with it.

More bad news on 14th Annual Fil-Am Fesitval in Daly City

I was going to leave this topic alone because it's over and done with. But I really do not like the way one of the promoter lady's (the same white lady that was somewhat abusive toward me on Saturday) handled a situation terribly with another vendor and I was just made aware of this confrontation tonight. This show has problems, people.

My friend was located on the far side of the event and the 'workers' had placed one of the covers between his space and his neighbor. The cover was flapping consistently back and forth into his booth from the wind and created a bad atmosphere for this gentleman and his mother. He mentioned this to the lady, who's blunt reply was, "You will just have to deal with it." Now what kind of response is this!! This person was also told that the canopies would be better secured at night (because wind gusts almost toppled a couple areas), but they never were. Come to think of it, I was told the same thing, but I left on Saturday because we display was all screwed up because of the winds and because there was no security.

Please read previous entries I made regarding this event. http://thisaintparadise.blogspot.com/search/label/Daly%20CIty%20Fil-Am%20Festival

Now, I do not know this lady's name and I don't really care, but I am telling of our experiences and I want to make a point and give some advice. I was going to let this go, but I am rather perturbed over this. This is a Filipino event and I have had great success in my dealings with this fine organization. They are so nice and very cordial. But then you have these two white lady's walking around with frowns on their faces so tense, that I am afraid that their faces would crack if they tried to smile. I am white, myself, but if people of my color are going to act like that, then they should just stay away and let the Filipino's take charge. You should be ashamed talking to people so bluntly.

My advice for the show? You already can figure my first idea. Yah. I'm not returning, so do what you want next year. Also, my booth was situated far off in the distance amongst non-profit organizations and did not draw the traffic flow that some other people did. If you weren't interested in hospital plans, etc., then you never made it over to my spot. I am retail...I was the only retail in that entire row. Retail/commercial/arts & crafts vendors should be clustered in one section where people could shop. Also, you could demonstrate your concern for the vendors by then providing security for us. You charge each vendor $10-$20 for the security or whatever and also, allow the vendors to use their own canopies and setups instead of forcing them to use canopies which somebody is making a hefty, sneaky profit on.

That's all I have to say about this show and I do not expect to hear of any more problems experienced by my fellow vendors at this event. However, if I do....you will definitely be the third person to know.