Craft Fairs 101
Crafters looking for a happy holiday season

By Wayne Harada
Advertiser Entertainment Editor

Mrs. Hawai'i Sydney Fasi tries on an American flag bracelet at a craft fair at Ali'iolani Elementary School. Some vendors have responded to a wave of patriotism after the terrorist attacks, with new and different items at discounted prices. Jeff Widener The Honolulu Advertiser

"We don't compete with weekend crowds anymore, because people have busy weekend schedules," said Miyao, whose "Original Holiday Faire" will be held Thursday at the Japanese Cultural Center of Hawaii.

"And the ones that are growing in popularity are the smaller ones," said Miyao, referring to at-home ventures generally organized by a hui of artisans who pool their creativity and mailing lists to lure a discriminating buying crowd.

But since Sept. 11, vendors and buyers are wondering if the effects of terrorism, which has crippled the tourist industry, will affect the holiday craft fair season, now under way.

Sheri Bentley, who organizes at least one monthly Handcrafters & Artisans Alliance Artfest in parks, said vendors were afraid of fallout from Sept. 11 but are counting on shopper turnout. "Our problem is the weather," Bentley said, referring to a dampened fair last weekend at Thomas Square. "I have 63 crafters in the next one, one of the biggest, and everybody's optimistic. If they give up, they (the terrorists) win."

A wave of patriotism has infiltrated everyday life, from flags on cars to songs in showrooms, from flag-adorned T-shirts to "United We Stand" bumper stickers.

Will this translate into the selling and buying mood in the weeks ahead? "We had maybe two or three vendors selling red, white and blue items," said Pam Seeney, president of the Temari board. Temari, the Center for Asian and Pacific Arts, held its annual Trash and Treasure Fair last Sunday at the Japanese Cultural Center, inviting a handful of new participants along with the diehard regulars.

"From a vendor's point of view, and Temari's, we were inundated with calls, selling out all our available space," said Seeney, indicating an eagerness for crafters to rev up sales. "Our regular vendors made some new and different things, and I was happy to see the prevailing price points, in light of 9/11. Hawai'i has been struggling through a tough economy for 10 years, since the Persian Gulf war, and dropping price points helps the consumer. It was not just discounting; even old stuff at discount prices is old stuff, and as vendors, we're also consumers, looking for the new."

Ann Asakura, Temari president, said turnout was less than previous years (because of rainy weather) "but most of our vendors did very well, many selling two-thirds of their stock in the earlier hours. I think in light of 9/11, people consciously support America. And they buy Hawai'i."

Asakura said a wave of patriotic gift items is inevitable, "but I think red, white and blue will be out (after Christmas)."

Seeney, creator of musubi antenna balls, said she refrained from going patriotic. "I had a customer ask if we had a red, white and blue musubi," she said. "No match, yeah?"

Because of the plummeting tourism industry, Seeney has stepped up her craft fair options this year and will do a couple more fairs in the weeks ahead. Her "other" job is designing and creating hotel uniforms, which went south after Sept. 11.

She says she thinks craft fair shoppers will do more comparison shopping and vendors will respond accordingly. "We may be sellers but we're also consumers," she said. "We want deals."

There are ways to "do" a craft fair — to maximize the fun and minimize the frustrations.

Tips

Before you go: Draft a list, actual or mental, of who's on your shopping list. Get numbers — sizes for kids' wear, dad's waist, mom's height — to make buying a little easier. Bring along a list of fairs, so you can hop to another with a minimum of wasted time and gasoline.

Know your marketplace: The Mission Houses fair offers top-caliber Hawaiiana; the Pacific Handcrafters fair assembles top artisans from the community, who often sell in stores at higher prices; the Lanakila Rehabilitation Center fair showcases gifts and collectibles created by its clients, with proceeds helping the center year-round; the Islandwide Christmas Crafts and Food Expo is one of the largest, with hundreds of items from apparel to snacks, and it's open at night, too, for day workers; the World Art Bazaar at the Academy of Arts showcases imports; the Festival of Trees stocks ornaments and table decorations galore; the "Bigger & Better" fair has wares not often seen in other sales; the Original Holiday Faire assembles rare wearables and artifacts; school and community fairs often have one-of-a-kinds and true homemade crafts. If you're lucky enough to get on a private mailing list for smaller, at-home private fairs, you generally find gems not reproduced in quantity. Some fairs charge admission, but most are free.

Best time to go: Early. Mornings are cooler, parking more available, stock more plentiful, crowds less thick.

What to bring: Bottled water (it gets hot and you get thirsty); a durable, oversized bag to haul purchases, particularly smaller items that may get lost; lots of cash, because not everyone takes plastic, though checks are generally OK; an umbrella, in case of rain; sunblock. A quickie first-aid kit might be advisable: Bandages for unexpected cuts, salve for sore arm or back, eyedrops for dust.

What not to bring: A baby in a stroller (it's too crowded and warm for a toddler); worse, a stroller with no baby (moms use the stroller to stash purchases).

What to wear: Comfy shoes, for all that walking. A cap, hat or visor provides a shield. Cool clothing. Better to go home and change, if you have Sunday church and are dressed up; casual rules.

Bargain and barter: It's not rude to try to bring down the prices, particularly if you're purchasing, say, 18 coffee mugs from one vendor. After all, the seller needs to sell. But don't be cheap: To ask for a discount on a $5 item is not only rude, but crude. Boxes? Request one; some vendors provide a decorated or logo bag or box. It's not unwise to comparison shop (make the rounds of the rows of vendors, go back to one that you liked), but sometimes indecision means someone else scoops up your choice item.

Food for thought: Don't shop till you drop; take frequent breaks, with on-site coffee or soda. Also, make time to peruse your list like Santa: check off the done deals, update and add names of folks you may have forgotten. And take a meal break, too. You'll need nourishment for the next go-round.

Pacing your purchases: Buy perishables at the end of your spree; chocolates melt, plants wilt. Cookies in jars also can get crumbled, so caution is advised. And if you buy oversized items, ask the vendor to hold them until you're done shopping.

Additional tips: Ask crafters about future fairs; many do a handful leading up to Christmas. This way, you can put off buying until later, or order a particular color and size at the current fair, for pick-up at the next. Often, the turtle gets the best deal: If you shop at the waning hour, a vendor may let you cart off merchandise at substantial savings, particularly if it's perishable (cookies, fudge, live wreaths) and especially if it's an item that has to be schlepped a distance (back to the Neighbor Islands, for instance).

The ideal whirl: The best craft site may not exist, but we can only dream of the ideal place — indoor, with air-conditioning; ice-water fountain; clean bathroom facilities; benches or chairs to sit on; a snack operation to whet the appetite; a "holding area" (like a checkroom) to stash your purchases for final pickup; plenty of free parking.