The Art Fair Survival Kit: What Keeps Me Going Through Long Days

The Art Fair Survival Kit: What Keeps Me Going Through Long Days

The Art Fair Survival Kit: What Keeps Me Going Through Long Days

People often see the polished final result: a charming vendor booth, cheerful smiles, beautiful artwork on display, and the buzz of an art fair in full swing. What they don’t see is everything that happens before the first customer strolls by.

Let me give you a little peek behind the curtain, because being a vendor at an art fair is not for the faint of heart. It’s equal parts small business hustle, endurance sport, logistical puzzle, and caffeine-fueled optimism.

The Prep Starts Way Before the Fair

Long before I even put my truck in gear, I’m already planning. Sometimes months out.

What prints do I want to feature? Are they art-fair-ready (matte, bagged, priced)? Do I have enough greeting cards? Do I need to place an order for supplies? How’s my business card supply? Are my booth supplies still in good shape? (Spoiler alert: zip ties and clamps are never where I left them.)

And then there’s marketing, because if you don’t post about it, did it even happen? I build a little buzz on social media, remind people where I’ll be, and hope the algorithm gods are in my favor.

The Week Before: It Gets Real

By now, I’m setting aside inventory and booth gear. Totes are getting packed. I’m checking lists, crossing things off, and adding new ones at the same time.

About three days out, I go into checklist overdrive: double-checking inventory, supplies, snacks, clothing layers (because Midwest weather, enough said), and anything else I’ll need for the day.

The night before? Truck Tetris. It’s a miracle every time I fit it all in, booth setup, grid walls, tables, weights, prints, bungee cords, it’s a lot.

The Day Of: My Cardio is Covered

I roll in early—as soon as vendors are allowed to set up. Some events give you two hours, others four. Either way, there’s always the reality check: you don’t get to pull up to your booth. Nope.

You unload your entire booth setup within a block, maybe two, from your actual space. Then, you move your vehicle to a vendor lot, which is usually a good hike away.

By the time I’ve unloaded, found my booth, and made four trips back and forth carrying everything from 50-pound weights to display bins, I’ve already logged around 4,000 steps. And I haven’t even started setting up.

Set-Up Shenanigans

This is where the “art” really begins.

Setup always takes the longest. Every inch matters. I’ll shift prints a dozen times, stand back, tilt my head, and move it again. It usually takes me 60 to 90 minutes to get everything just right.

Once it’s all up? I have about 30 minutes before the event starts. Which means… bathroom run and a lightning-speed lap around to shop from fellow vendors. We know we won’t get a break later, so if someone’s willing to sell before the official start, I’m in.

Showtime!

Then the fair begins. I’ve done events that last three hours and some that stretch to eight. Indoors, outdoors—there’s always something. Heat, cold, wind that threatens to send your signage flying, rain that forces emergency booth redesign. I’ve seen it all.

And still—I love it.

Even on the long, exhausting days, I’m grateful. Every person who stops by, asks a question, or connects with one of my photographs reminds me why I do this. Sharing my work with new faces and giving people a glimpse into the beauty of our world—that makes the chaos worth it.

So… What’s in My Art Fair Survival Kit?

Here’s a peek at what keeps me going through those marathon days:

  • Snacks. Pretzels, trail mix, fruit, and something with sugar when I hit that mid-afternoon slump. You can never have enough snacks. 

  • Water. So much water. Hydrate or crash—those are the options.

  • Portable phone charger. Because the square reader must stay alive.

  • Layers. I’ve started events in a stocking cap and ended in a tank top.

  • Comfy shoes. Functional and cute, that's a must have.

  • A positive attitude. Cheesy? Maybe. But it’s true. Even on tough days, I stay grateful. This work is hard, but it’s mine and I wouldn’t trade it.

When the Fair Ends: The Final Push

You’d think once the art fair wraps up, I’d be done, drink in hand. Not quite.

By the end of the day, I’m tired, sunburned, soaked, wind-chilled (or all three), peopled out, and running on whatever snacks I didn’t sell to myself mid-afternoon. But the day isn’t over yet, it’s time to clean up.

Here’s the silver lining: tear-down always goes faster. At that point, I don’t care what goes in which tote or which bin held which display earlier. The new system? Just get it packed. The finish line is in sight, and the only goal is to get out of there as fast as possible.

Still, there are multiple trips back and forth, just like the morning, except now I’m dragging instead of charging. And I’ve still got that familiar 2- to 3-block walk to go retrieve my truck before I can even begin the final loading process.

Once I hit the road, there's a flicker of relief: the hard part’s over. But only kind of. Because after the drive (which could be ten minutes or two hours), I still have to unpack the entire truck and get everything put away. That part alone can take up to an hour, especially if I want to be semi-organized for the next event.

Why I Keep Doing It

At the end of a 12+ hour day, when my feet ache and my brain is toast, I still walk away fulfilled. Tired? Definitely. But also, proud.

Being a vendor is tough, but it’s also personal, creative, and deeply rewarding. Every connection, every compliment, every story someone shares about how a photo reminded them of a special place, it fuels me.

So, if you see me at an art fair, now you know what it took to get there. I may look calm behind the booth, but trust me, a whole storm of preparation, sweat, and joy came before that first smile.

Let's keep rambling.

- Kelly

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