If you agree that nothing could be better than being outside, making new friends, and earning some money as your own boss, then you’re ready to become a festival vendor. Becoming a festival vendor can be easy or difficult; it really depends on the festival you want to sell your wares at. Here are some helpful tips on how to get your foot in the door at the festival. There are many different ways to get started as a festival vendor. If you can’t get in the first time, check out some of these additional tips to help you find your way.

Join fairs and festive events

If you’ve been to a few festivals, flea markets, or craft shows and want to get in on the action, then you’ll need to get to work—early. That’s right, most of the festival vendors you see at your local festivals have signed up for their spot up to a year in advance. Some festivals are more competitive than others. If you have some previous experience as a festival vendor, but would like to join a well-known or traveling festival, you know how difficult it can be to land a coveted space to sell your wares.

Do you need to pay anything to become a festival vendor?

The first thing you need to do, no matter which festival you want to be a festival vendor for, is find out who is in charge. Try to speak directly with them about signing up. If you’re lucky, you’ll just have to pay in advance to reserve your spot and then show up on the first day of the festival. Sometimes you won’t have to register until the day of the festival, but most will require you to make a deposit in advance. This means that even if you sign up for a hot festival a year in advance, you may still need to make a hefty deposit now. This also means that if you are unable to do so at the last minute, you will probably lose your entire deposit. Unfortunately, that’s how things work on the festival circuit and if you want to become a festival vendor, you’re going to have to shell out some money before you make a cent.

What you need to know about Fairs and Festive Events

If you have chosen to become a festival vendor on a more competitive show and there are no spots left, then there are a few things you can try. You can always request to share a space with an established provider. This is an especially good move for a festival vendor that has a small setup or someone just starting out. If booth fees are high, another festival vendor might allow you to set up inside their booth. Ask whoever is in charge or approach a friendly festival vendor yourself. You can also see if there are any cancellations that day or the day before. This can be a real pain as there is no guarantee, but things happen and this could get you in. Negotiating with another festival vendor to reserve your spot for them if they need to be away for a day or two is another way to get in on a temporary basis. If you want to be a festival vendor then surely you are a creative guy so use those skills and find a way to get in there.

How to perform well in festival events?

The more experience you have as a festival provider, the easier it will be to get a space or a better one. Like almost everything in life, who you know matters. Being connected with organizers and other festival vendors can go a long way when it comes to getting prime space at a festival. This doesn’t mean you should try to get management attention every chance you get. In fact, what it means is trying to be a festival vendor who is easy to get along with and who pays attention to the people who run the show. It may sound simple, but you’ll find that many festival vendors care a lot about your space or a variety of things. Be the kind of festival vendor that people want at your festival. People will take note of this and help you secure a spot at the festival or make sure your favorite space is empty when you arrive.