With the COVID19 virus running at full strength around the country almost every industry has seen some impact. But almost no area has seen the kind of challenges brought to the service industry, restaurants and travel. Most of us know that means Florida in particular has seen a lot of jobs just going up in smoke. While the large art & craft shows have taken a huge hit too… many of the small (and affordable) markets are doing just fine! And while you may not picture yourself as an artist… there are a lot of ways to make money at these type of events… and during this pandemic the markets have sprung up in almost every town.
There are a multitude of things you can do to at least make a little money… and who knows, that may actually start to earn more than you think! If you’re one of the millions of unemployed people around the country it will be worth your while to stop by a couple of these events to see what seems to be selling. While some ideas require a lot of equipment or special licensing… many do not! Plenty of opportunities exist and they are yours for the asking. Look around while you’re there. Do you see something missing that is a void you can fill? Is there a little “widget” you used to make that everyone loved? Can you sew? Work with maybe with candles… or glass… or recycle something into art? Over the years I’ve seen just about everything you can imagine! Old Freon containers turned into yard art… bottles turned into wind chimes… toy airplanes made of soda cans… shoe made from old tires… swings for kids made from old tires turned inside out… people are extremely creative with materials someone else could only see as junk!
The entry fees for most of these small markets is minimal and most of the time you can call even a day or two in advance to get in… so if the weather looks like it will be bad you can stay home. They’re much better than the flea markets which might come to mind first. At those events people are just usually looking for something cheap… quality is of no concern. So as a result you’ll be competing with every piece of junk known to man. At the markets along with the art & craft shows people are looking for higher quality and unique work you don’t see at Walmart, Michael’s Craft Store or the Old Tyme Pottery store. And because of the unique nature of what is usually there, they are willing to pay a little more too!
“Where The Shows Are!!!” ( https://wheretheshowsare.com ) is an excellent source of both finding the right events for your town and skill level. They list everything from little farmer’s markets and corner sales… to some of the largest, most prestigious art shows in the country! You’ll find exactly what you need right there. The book they publish is also “jam packed” with articles and great ideas about how to start and run your business. So give it a try! The membership is FREE to begin with and you’ll love what you find.
