DO YOU REMEMBER
or, would you rather forget?
    
MID TOWN STREET FAIR, Sacramento, CA. 

During our second year in business, we participated in this event in our state's capitol on June 11, 1994.  The event was located on Capitol Avenue between 18th and 24th Streets.  I remember that we had problems locating the event and actually began setting up at another event half-a-mile away.  Surprise! 

We only did this event one time and I think that it was the last year for it.  We sold stained glass and jewelry back then and did okay.  It seemed like this show was set in a hippie type neighborhood because I saw a lot of long hairs there and the music was from the 70's.  Seemed like we took a step back in time 20 years.  It was pretty neat though and we enjoyed it.  Attendance was somewhat small, but we didn't know better back then.

FAIRGLEN ART FESTIVAL, San Jose, CA. 

 I guess it lasted something like 33 years and was held in the Fairglen area of San Jose.  This show was actually held on neighborhood streets in front of people's homes.  We did it 3-4 times during the mid-90's and found it to be quite unique and enjoyable.  And they gave each vendor a 'free' mug.

Back in the 60’s was when the Fairglen Art Festival started. The festival began small, with a handful of people showing their art. Fairglen had its share of creative people, so the idea spread.

The festival grew in popularity. Rock and roll bands would play, folk dancers would perform in a driveway, and the late J"It was kind of like a country fair," The festival got so big Sunset magazine wrote it up, and the city took notice. Officials spoke about fees, health inspections, liability. "The city required that Lloyds of London get involved," neighbor Scott Nicholls says. In 1995 the event died. What a shame...a really great festival.

 

FOSTER CITY 4TH OF JULY FESTIVAL (mid 90s-early 2000s)  Foster City, CA   STILL GOING ON

 

One of my all-time favorite events.  Just 10 minutes across the San Mateo Bridge for us.  Nice setting in Leo Ryan Park on Shell Blvd.  For many years, we had two spaces for $40 apiece and we were located along the sidewalk...easy load-in/out.  My wife worked in San Mateo and quite a number of her friends would drop by.  It was always windy there and would get rather cool in the afternoon.  Very nice pancake breakfast and a tiny parade...mostly kids on bicycles and walkers...a fire engine, etc.

 

Over the final couple years, we had to deal with quite a bit of construction as the parking lot across the street was wiped out and they spent quite awhile building a new amphitheater.  Very enjoyable.  Probably 40 vendors and a bunch of food booths,  Lots and lots of dogs, as there was a show there also.

 

I just found out recently that they still do have this event and quite possibly, we could return in 2009 after a 4-year hiatus, doing the Mt. Shasta 4th of July Celebration.

NEW AGE RENAISSANCE FESTIVAL, San Jose, CA

 

 I thought that this event was pretty neat as it was held at Parkside Hall in downtown San Jose.during the month of November and it always seemed to be raining.  I think that we did this event from 1994-1997, which was the final year. Didn't like hauling my things inside, but no choice.  Attendance was somewhat okay. Long hours and the crowds dwindled down during the latter part of the afternoon.  I really enjoyed much of the entertainment, especially the digieridoo's.

Here's a link to a story about the New Age Renaissance Fair you should find interesting. "People said the New Age Renaissance Fair was a magical place, much more enjoyable than the "marketplace" atmosphere of many other similar Fairs. It was a place for the New Age community to gather and refresh the spirit. It was successful for 15 years"

 

Edwin Meece ran it back then and now he has the Holistic Arts Fair and is held in many locations.  Here's a link, if you are interested.  We did a number of the events at San Jose City College and Rickey's Hyatt House (Palo Alto?) back in the late 90's, but people were more interested in psychics, etc.

 

PINOLE SPRING FESTIVAL, Pinole, CA

We did this event twice, 1994-5 and it was held over Memorial Day Weekend.  I believe that it was held in a park and was a rather small community-type event.  We lived in Hayward, so we didn't have to travel very far for this.  In '94, we did good and the following year, was substantially slower and I do believe that the show bit the dust around that time also, possibly having to do with high insurance premiums.

 

HOLIDAY CRAFT SHOW, Santa Rosa, CA

This show has had many names and was held in early December at the fairgrounds in Santa Rosa.  I am researching the names right now and will provide the actual name of the event later.

This show works out on paper and was a good idea, but in reality, it was a real genuine doozie!!  This was held for several years in a couple buildings on the fairgrounds,  I did the event 3 times.  First time was somewhat okay many years ago.  More recently, they expanded the booths into another building and there were just way, way too many vendors and not enough buyers to support them.  Additionally, vendors were cramped up inside the buildings and it was quite warm, making people very uncomfortable.  There was some good quality things there, but there was a great deal of whatever you want to call it.

 

It was held 2 or 3 weekends consecutively and there were questions amongst the vendors as to which weekend was the best.  This was somewhat local for us and commuted back and forth.   There were a number of positive things about the event, but making money was not one of them, especially when the promoters kept changing the name and theme of the event and jamming as many vendors into the event that was possible or impossible

When we did this event for the last time, maybe 5-6 years ago, we left thankful that we hadn't signed up for another week.  It wasn't cheap, I'll tell you.

 

 

FLOWER AND WINE FESTIVAL, San Lorenzo, CA

 

This event was held from 2002-4 in mid-July at Mervin Morris Park, Grant Avenue and Washington Street, San Lorenzo.  Three bucks to get in.

 

I believe that we did it in 2003 and it was a terrible show if you were a vendor; but nice for the community.  A little bit of food, some rides, entertainment and craft booths.  Most importantly for us, it was local and didn't have to travel very far.  I recall that it was rather warm that day and very few people were buying much from anybody. For entertainment, they had Bobby Escovedo and some other groups which I do not recall.

 

We only did it once and quite surprised that this show lasted three years.  The following year, we began doing fairs and festivals up in Oregon during the month of July because the quality of events around here was poor.

 

I find it rather strange that, even though it was a 'Flower' festival, there were no flowers.  Strange, huh?

 

SOFA STREET FAIR, San Jose, CA  along first street in San Jose

 

South of A Street Fair. More commonly known as the SOFA Street Fair.  Believe it or not, there would be a bunch of people who would haul out their old beaten up couches (sofa's) and set them up on the sidewalk to watch the goings-on.  This event was popular during the 90’s and was held on First Street near the night clubs. A one-day event, it attracted a wide array of vendors and quite an assortment of fair-goers.

 

I do not know what happened to this event, but we did it for 3 years. It was wild at times as there were numerous bars and night clubs located along the street. All kinds of people were attracted to this event. Lady’s handcuffed together, guys with long spiked hair... you name it, it was there.  Sort of like a mini-Folsom Street Festival (if you know what I'm talking about)  One year there was a fight in the vicinity of our booth as a couple guys came crashing and tumbling out of a bar slamming into our canopy. As they came closer to my wife (I was getting my van to load up) she  smacked one of the ‘drunks’ with a metal chair to fend him off. Good going, lady!!  I also caught a number of people trying to steal our jewelry, etc. and had to break up a number of tussles in front of our booth.

AND THEN THERE WERE SOME REAL DOOZIES, of course, which thankfully, are now considered DEFUNCT.  I have taken this entry from my blog and re-posted here Enjoy..

 

Tuesday, June 10, 2008 (entries made in my blog- Western Artists and Vendors)

 

Some bad festivals we have done.  Do you recall any of these?  Your comments are welcome.

We've been doing events now for over 15 years and we have most certainly done some real doozies. Here are some of the one's we have done over the years (in no particular order)

Vacaville Bizarre Bazaar.

 

Held in downtown Vacaville (CA) on a couple streets. I guess it was held in April and we did it three times in our early years. It seemed to always be raining or cloudy and cool. One year, the vendor next to us tripped on the curb and broke his ankle. As the name of this blog suggests, this ain't paradise!!! A bad show.

 Vacaville Harvest Days.

 

This event was held over two weekends at the Nut Tree in Vacaville, adjacent to Highway 80. Long ago, there was a restaurant, etc., there by the name of Nut Tree and it was a great stopover for travelers. People that traveled Highway 80 between San Francisco and Sacramento back in the 70's and 80's would remember the place dearly. Very nice place to take the kids, grab some snacks, etc. However, it hit hard times a number of years ago and closed because people had other places to go. October 20-21 and October 27-28.

Anyway, they have capitalized on the Nut Tree name and built a number of stores there. The show was poorly organized. On the first weekend it was held in front and there was virtually no foot traffic. Heavy winds at night blew over our canopy. Thank gosh we had taken our merchandise home because we were aware of the local riff-raffs!!! On the second weekend, it was held in the back in the Pumpkin Patch, which turned out to be even worse. Everybody had poor sales. Everybody!!! Very poor traffic flow and people just were not interested. Take the kids to the Pumpkin Patch, grab a pumpkin and drive away. We were forced to walk a very long ways to the bathrooms. Promoters claimed they couldn't put porta potties back there for our convenience. City this, city that, fire department this, police department that.... they were ready to blame the failure of Vacaville Harvest Days on everybody else except themselves. So, people the moral of the story is to never do this event. You are not going to make any money, There is no paradise there...keep on truckin!!! And the other moral of the story? If you are ever going to leave your canopy up overnight, either put up all or none of your side panels. Mistakenly, I only put up 3 and the canopy caught the wind over night and toppled over. What a mess in the morning!! Vacaville Harvest Days ... what a mess.
Watsonville Burrito Bash.

 

We did this event over the weekend of June 18-19, 1994 in Watsonville (CA), located north of Monterey. Very hot that weekend. Hot, hot, hot!! That year they decided to eliminate beer sales there and the people didn't like that. I say 'let em drink'... as long as they don't get rowdy, let 'em drink!! Quite often, some of them spend more money when they are saused. Located next to a very dry field and they were giving helicopter tours. Oh my gosh...when it took off, it blew dirt, sand, mowed grass and everything else all over the place. We were selling beaded-T-shirts back then and they got pretty filthy. We packed up early Sunday and got the heck out of there. I don't see this festival around anymore, thank gosh and paradise was never found here!!!