OLD SHOWS WE HAVE DONE 

Here you go people, this page is going to list a lot of the shows we have done over the years (if I can recall).  I have another page on this website 'Do you Remember' and that lists some of the shows which were notable and no longer exist.  However, here I shall be listing shows which may or may not be around anymore and I'll give some comments on that particular event.  We have done well over 400 events since 1993 and I will post quite a good number of them. If you are considering hooking up with these shows, take my opinions, etc., with a 'grain of salt'.  The dynamics of events change over the years...formats, vendors, promoters, locations, themes, etc. and some of them you might want to look into.  However, these shows that we did were replaced in our schedule by events more suited toward our desires.  Eventually, I will re-arrange these events either into chronological, geographical or alphabetical order.

Bok  Kai Parade and Festival, Marysville, CA.  This event  is going to be held on Feb 28 and Mar 1 (2009) in the Chinatown area of downtown Marysville. We did this event several years ago and it was only one day back then.  It was a long drive in the morning - 160 miles maybe?  and that made for a very long day.  I guess it's better now that they are having it over two days.  They have a parade there and it has to be one of the longest that I have ever seen.  The community turns out for the parade, but a lot of them departed soon afterward.  Maybe 2-2 1/2 hours?

There was a very weird booth setup, as I recall with rows of booths on each side of the street.  We were located in another row, just behind and did not get as much foot traffic.

The parade has been going on now for 129 years and they say that it has never rained on that day.  It was held a couple weeks earlier when we did and it was somewhat cloudy.  They might get a good share of vendors this year because of an exodus from the ill-fated, terrible Ripon Almond Blossom Festival which is held during the same weekend.  I might even consider going back, but one must be careful because of the economy....  gas and motel expenses mean more $$$ I have to spend.


Festa Italiana de San Mateo
(San Mateo Italian Festival)
We enjoyed doing this event for several years.  Held on Sunday, July 20 this year along North B Street. One-day event. We no longer do this event since we are in Oregon this time of the year.  Perhaps 4-5 blocks of booths.  Italian food and delicacies.  There's been quite a bit of Italian music over there years.  Quite a number of people and quite often, the place is packed.  The Chalk art display is super!!  Festa Foundation

Lockeford Street Faire.  Located along a street in Lockeford, of course. Held twice yearly.  Only did this one 3-4 times.  Home of the great Lockeford Sausage, where they have an actual store located.  We have all seen them selling their delicious sausages at many events.  Quite a number of booths here and I wasn't too crazy about the early set up.

Delicato Grape Stomp.  Delicato Vineyards, 12001 S. Highway 99, Manteca  .Delicato Vineyards, (209) 824-3505.  This event was held during the last weekend of August and I found it to be quite interesting..  It was hot out there, of course and  loads of fun watching contestants get into the huge barrels and stomp the grapes.  Nice family event, but I learned soon that people don't really come here to buy from the vendors, as we did this event a couple times during the mid-90's.  Nice one for families. Here's an old (2000) link to shows in the Lodi area that you may or may not find interesting.

Lodi Street Fair.  This event is held twice yearly, first Sundays in May and October.  We've done this one 5-6 times over the years and we just used it as a filler show and our sales are so-so.  Huge event with many vendors spread about several streets.  One of our very first events back in 1994 and we did this one as recently as 2007.

Atwater Fall Festival.  Only did this event and it will be forever etched in my mind.  Held during the second weekend of September and we were there in 2001.  Have you put that together yet?  Our first show after 9-11. Held in a park and a decent community event, but I'm not too sure how this works out for vendors nowadays, especially with the economy.  I just happened to have patriotic T-shirts that year and that accounted for more than half my sales.  I believe that they might have had a BBQ for vendors at the end of the show.  Can get hot out there.  This event is the same weekend as the Castro Valley Fall Festival and that is a much better event (and local) for us.

Lambtown Festival held in Dixon. July 19, 2008.  Here's a link to info. We have done this event 3 times and it really wasn't too bad.  My greatest memory of this show was that we were there when the power went out on on the west coast.  I searched for it on the 'net, but couldn't find any mention of it.  Anyhow, it was quite hot that day, with temps in the 100's and everybody was quite uncomfortable.  Around the middle part of the afternoon, we decided to pack up and leave, wanting to get home before darkness came so we could dig up candles, etc.  Had watermelon for dinner.  I guess the power was out for about 8 hours

It's kind of rough getting out of there at night due to the late hours of the show.  I recall that I had placed my radio on a chair just outside my booth and I returned 10 seconds later AND IT WAS GONE,

This is a one-day event and attracts a lot of vendors and runs into the evening.  Not really a bad show, but we don't do it anymore because we are in Oregon that time of year AND I am not enthused about setting up in hot weather for just a one day event. 

Castroville Artichoke Festival,  Located along Highway 156 between Hwy 1 and 101 and is held during the third weekend of May.  We did this event back in the mid-1990's when they held it in September.  When they moved it to May, our schedule was already full.  However, this coming year 2009, we are phasing out Oakdale and will be returning to Castroville, as the event is less expensive and I have had good reports from fellow vendors. Please check their website

The weather can be warm or somewhat cooler with overcast and fog.  They do draw large crowds for this and was enjoyable doing.  However, I got a strange eerie feeling when we were there due to the uniformed security guards and barbed wire on the chain link fences before.  Felt like the Castroville Territorial Prison.

Brentwood Cornfest held in mid July and lasts 3 days with late hours.  I almost categorized this a a 'problem show' because things do not run smoothly. There are a huge number of issues and problems associated with this event, but I can't recall precisely.  We did it 3 years ago and it was very hot and we did it another time years ago.  We will not do this event again because it is just a few days before we leave for our Oregon Fairs and I do not like going home (60 miles) late Friday night on the long, Vasco Road where speeders and crazy drivers frequent.  Let me throw you a link for the event.  Expensive show to do.

Sales weren't that great for us and other than parasols, nothing much sold.  It was hot and uncomfortable and vendors sat around for hours with no sales.  This year (2008) I heard it was pretty bad and a lot of discontent amongst the vendors.  Turns into party time and a social gathering during the early night hours,  We packed up early when we were there because we did not have lights.  The fireworks have caused problems, after all these year, they an not agree upon a date for them.

Back in the 80's we came out here to pick fruits.  I guess apricots and cherries when the seasons were right.  Lots of fun, especially with the kids.  Miss those good ol days, ya know.

Arroyo Grande Strawberry Festival.  Expenses for this show are quite high and as we have gotten older, we have decided not to do this one.  We were located for years in space#35 up on the main street and did pretty good.  Sales are best there as opposed to being  below, near the bridge.  However, being on the main street, we all were required to dismantle everything on Saturday afternoon and put it back up on Sunday.  We did this event for 6-7 years and enjoyed it immensely along with the surrounding towns...Pismo, Morro Bay, SLO....  one of my favorite areas to do shows.

I'd really love to do this event again.  This show was not without problems, though.  Parking of course and getting in on Sat and Sun evenings to load up.  Lots of kids attempting to steal things.

It was funny because when temps were in the 70's and sunny, everybody was complaining that it was too hot.  Perfect for us, but not for them!!  People in this area are quite used to fog and clouds during the day with temps in the 60's.  For more info on this show, please visit their website.  They do get huge crowds for this event and during mid-day, it's difficult to pass through on the street. Nice set up because eveybody up there was in quads, allowing vendors two open sides, a preferable setup.

Cherry Festival, San Leandro. This event went on for several years and we did it 5 times at Marina Park.  There was a time when it was held downtown, but they moved it.  Approximinately 4 years ago, this show became defunct and they reincarnated it two years ago, making it a one-day festival downtown.

It was held during the first week of June and we had two booths there several years.  Had good sales there, but I can not understand why on earth they would cram up all the booths into 4 rows of tight 10x10 spaces in such a huge park.  Seems like they just wanted to make the money from the vendors  It did get quite breezy during the afternoons and it wasn't uncommon to see a lot of people (vendors) with sweaters or light jackets on. 

Very difficult (and weird) set up.  You had to park your vehicles on the street, unload and haul your things over a hill, which was a bit difficult. Why I ask?  There were other vehicles associated with diferent t functions of the show all over the place driving on the grass.  Then, when it's time to load up on Sunday, suddenly it's okay to go on the grass.  Can you figure that one out?

When we did this show for the last time, I had my van parket over by the far playground and I had to drive home to pick up a few things.  When I returned, the cops would not let me enter, even with my parking pass and I had to park quite a distance away and haul my stuff in over some very rough terrain.  I made a big issue over this.  There was another time when there was another time when one of San Leandro's bald policemen had traffic crossing duties and was standing there talking to a couple ladies.  As the girls began crossing the street, there were other people beginning to cross and he turned around after gawking at the ladies and yelled at them (us) to go back and wait.

All in all, the show was somewhat enjoyable and they did get decent crowds for this.  Perhaps if they return to a 2-day show, I might consider it.

Parker Bluegrass Festival, Parker, AZ  Held in early March and promoted by L&S Promotions at La Paz County  Park along the Colorado River.

We did this show a couple times in conjunction with trips to Las Vegas and the Ostrich Festival in Chandler.  Of course, it attracts an older 'blue grass' loving crowd and sales reflected that.  Nice and relaxing at times, but entry fees were rather high; booth fees reasonable.  Perhaps 40 vendors here and a small assortment of food and delicious root beer (floats, sodas, slushes)

This event will now be held in Lake Havasu, since usage fees were more than doubled by the Board of Supervisors.  The first year we did this event, we did somewhat okay.  The next year, most of us packed up early on Sunday because there were huge purple-ish clouds off in the distance, which at least meant heavy winds and rain and when you see that coming in, you'd better get the hell out.

I understand that earlier this year, the event was plagued with extremely strong winds and rain and many canopies were toppled over.

Tomato Festival, Fairfield, CA. A two-day festival held during the third weekend of August.  We did this event back in the 90's and was pretty decent for us.  Back then they had the booths in quads on the main street and that was great.  Don't know about their setup now.  It does get a little warm there and they had pretty decent crowds.  Biggest problem: kids stealing jewelry-always watch your booth here and pay attention to 'splits' where 2 or 3 kids go into the booth, split up and one will ask questions while the other steals from you.  We don't do this anymore because we have another event  For a number of years they didn't have this event and then 'reincarnated' it to a one-day show for a couple years and now it's back to 2 days.

Oakley Almond Festival, Oakley, CA.  This two-day event is held during the second weekend of September.  The last time we did this event was back in 2000 and we replaced that weekend with an event closer to home, the Castro Valley Fall Festival.

The booths were set up in a field and in quads, which is the ideal way for the booths to be.  Sales were somewhat slow back then and I'm not too sure that things have improved that much over the years, especially with the economy the way it is.

Have to wqtch out for the riff-raff crowd and for teenagers stealing from vendors.  I had to pretty much baby sit this one guy, who kept coming back to our booth trying to snag a necklace.  I saw him take a ring from my neighbor and I caught him and turned him over to the police to get him out of my face.  Before I notified the police, I brought him over to the guys booth who was selling silver jewelry and spoke to him, telling him to 'reach inside your right hand pocket and pull out the ring that you just stole from him'.  He tried to deny it, but the proof was in the pudding.  Out it came. 

I also recall that it was hot out there and you can expect temps in the 90's during September, occasionally up in three-digits.