# Renaissance Fair's for Selling Soap



## Anita Martin

Since Christmas is over, I'm tentatively planning out my sales venues, markets, fairs, etc. for the new year. There are a few Renaissance Fair's not too far away that I've found online and I'm wondering if anyone does these and what your experience has been as far as sales potential? The closest one to me runs 5 or 6 weekends in may/june and the vendor fee is reasonable...more so if you sign up for the whole series. 

The downsides I can see so far are the expense of decorating my tent to reflect the period, and of a costume for myself and anyone working the booth. 

The upsides, (not counting sales as I have no idea what they would be like) is that it seems like a lot of fun, and the fairs seem to draw a devoted crowd of people. 

The booth fee for the closest one (2.5 hours) is $70 per weekend if paid before March 1st, or $250 if for a full season if paid by march 1st. The full season includes 10 days of weekends. 

I looked at the vendor list for 2010 and there was one other soap and body product vendor, but whose products were very different from mine. 

Thanks for any input or experiences with these types of fairs.


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## Kalne

I have always wanted to do one of these but couldn't get past the expense of coming up with the booth displays. Of course, once you've done it you're set for how many more you want to do over the years.


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## [email protected]

I've asked/checked about a couple around here. Some are more strict with their rules. One has a no plastic rule. So leather or canvas tent/canopy. No plastic wrapping on soap. No plastic bottles for lotion. Period shoes (OUCH!). I've heard they do make good money, though.


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## Kalne

Yeah....that's how ours is.....no white canopy which was the biggie for me. I could handle the rest but the expense for a new tent was something I wasn't willing to come up with.


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## Anita Martin

The one I'm looking at says we can spray paint a canvas and drape that over the tent. The legs have to be covered too. I'll have to find out about the soap wrapping. I didn't notice a no plastic rule. Have to check that out. Period shoes? How about barefoot? All the merchants have to dress as pheasants...I'm sure some were too poor for shoes?


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## linbee

As a long time Renaissance go-er, I know we have a permanent soaps/potion shop at our Faire. I always assume if you are there for several years, you must be making money. The RenFest in Texas has buildings that the merchants actually buy and are responsible for upkeep, maintenance, etc. This particular soap shop sells bath oils, bath salts, aroma oils, soaps, lotions - I think if you advertise that it is goats milk, you are right in the type of artisan crafts of the time. And besides, it is such fun. Costumes can be pretty simple as well. You can look at ours at www.texrenfest.com I think it shows the vendors.

As for period shoes, my most comfortable pair of shoes came from the Faire. There are several types to wear if you don't want to buy actual period type. My sister bought a short suede boot from Payless last year, and it was perfect.


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## Anita Martin

I've never been to a Renaissance fair, but studied English Lit in college. I don't know how I missed out all these years! All those costumes are just great. I'm looking for pheasant costumes now. If my sewing machine worked, I'd make them. I already have a pair of shoes!


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## Fly to the Moon

Pheasant costume?

http://www.costumesstagelightingmakeup.com/includes/show_image.php?im=http://affiliate.fun-shop.com/img/01/00442.jpg&size=300

:biggrin

I'm really sorry. Really. <3

[attachment deleted by admin]


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## Kalne

Brilliant! LOL!


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## Anita Martin

PEASANT costume! You girls are bad! And so is my spelling!


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## SherrieC

They have one this year 20 mins from my Home, and the Crappy part is it's during the Van Wert Ohio Goat show. Not only have I hardly ever been able to attend as it is, but it's the most fun goat show around IMO. So I have to decide between the first year of a Renaissance fair which hopefully will grow huge or my favorite goat show.


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## tmfinley

Sherrie, do you have anyone else that could man the ren booth for you? Being its first year, it might not be so busy but you want to get in while you can.


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## Fly to the Moon

Anita Martin said:


> You girls are bad!


*hangs head* Well, yeah, but I couldn't resist sharing the image that came to mind.


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## SherrieC

Tiffany, that's what I was thinking of doing splitting up. But my best sales man is my best goat show buddy.


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## tekkiegal

When I decided to try a Renaissance fair, I was put off by the decorating expense, too. Draping opulent fabrics around my pop-up tent could have been staggeringly expensive if I bought the cloth at a fabric store(even with a 50% off coupon!). But I started hitting the thrift stores and found the Mother Lode in their used drapery panels and fabric shower curtains. I mixed patterns with solids, keeping with cream/gold/maroon and came up with what I needed for less than $50. Just clip the panels to your frame, and you have a theme and mood that will invite people in. You can even make your costume out of these fabrics, and they look rich and authentic.


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