Atlanta Dogwood Festival

<body topmargin=0 leftmargin=0 marginheight=0 marginwidth=0> <table cellpadding=0 cellspacing=0 border=0><tr> <td valign="top" colspan=2 height=90 BGCOLOR="#006699" TEXT="#080000" background="05bfd5a3.jpg"> <div> <B>Atlanta Dogwood Festival</B></div> <div> <B>6260 N.W. 19 Street, Sunrise, Fl. 33313 Toll Free 1-877-512-3333    Email: </B><A HREF="mailto:mike@mikealbin.com" TARGET="_top" TITLE="mailto:mike@mikealbin.com"><U><B>mike@mikealbin.com</B></U></A></div> </td> </tr><tr> <td valign="top" width=210 BGCOLOR="#FFCC66" TEXT="#080000" background="05cd2043.jpg"> <bR> <div> <A HREF="index.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Mike Albin.Com "><U>Mike Albin.Com </U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="wd.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Web design"><U>Web design</U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="ma.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Marketing Articles"><U>Marketing Articles</U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="sr.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Show Reviews"><U>Show Reviews</U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="mt.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Marketing Tools"><U>Marketing Tools</U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="l.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Links"><U>Links</U></A></div> </td> <td valign="top" height=390 BGCOLOR="#777777" TEXT="#080000"> <div> 2004 Atlanta Dogwood Festival</div> <div> April 2-4, The 68th Annual Atlanta Dogwood Festival, Contact: 20 Executive Park Drive, Suite 2019, Atlanta, Ga. 30329.  404-329-0501. Email: coordinator@dogwood.org   </div> <div> This is a three day show in the heart of downtown Atlanta's Piedmont Park.  The 240 artist booths are all on a paved circular road around a huge field in the park.  Artists choose to set-up either Wednesday, Thursday or Friday morning, it's your choice with no extra charge for early set-up.  </div> <div> This is a very well run, organized show with 1200 volunteers ready to assist anyway they can.  We set-up on Wednesday, park next to your space, stay as long as you like and drive off when your done.   Artist's parking is not too far away, free and shuttle service for those not wanting to walk.  </div> <div> This was our second year for doing the show, this year the weather was a little cool in the mornings, 50's and 60's during the day.  Friday was crowded by most shows standards but a little slow for ADF standards.  This year around us there was a mixture of ADF veteran artists and new-comers.  We sold only one piece Friday but it was a good size piece so expenses were already paid for.  Friday night there was an artist awards banquet where a total of $4,000.00 was handed out.  The food here was one of the best artist dinners we have ever been to.  </div> <div> If you decide to do this show bring a helper! The crowds here on Saturday and Sunday will absolutely wear you out.  There is an artists oasis booth with free sandwiches, drinks, fruits, etc.  In two years we've never been able to make it over there because the size of the crowds and not being able to get away from our booth long enough; and there's two of us.  </div> <div> Saturday was an incredible for day for us, we came within one piece of having our best single day ever.  I walked around early Sunday morning and spoke with a number of artists and heard similar sales totals from them.  Of the 20 artists I spoke with, 17-18 said it was either their single best day ever or just under like us.  Patty and I went back to hotel Saturday night and I can't ever remember being as tired as we both were.  </div> <div> Sunday the crowds were back out in force again and we had another good day making this our second best show ever, 3 times an average show.  Every artist I spoke with said sales were up from previous years, this is usually an above average show, they were very happy and would return next year.  One artist I spoke with used the term " over whelmed" to describe here ADF experience.  Sunday was a bit windy, 35 mph gusts, bring extra weights! </div> <div> One bad note from the show, Saturday night someone snuck into the show area and slashed 10-12 booth side panels.  Only one artists I spoke with said anything was missing.  To show you how classy a show this is on Sunday  morning the show director walked around with her check book and wrote $100.00 checks to every artist that had damage.  A very classy gesture indeed.  </div> <div> Break-down here can be a bit hectic but it wasn't as bad as we thought it would be.  Break down your entire booth, park in the space left by your booth, pack-up and leave.  That works fine as long as your vehicle will fit in your space.  For those of us with long trailers it's a bit more challenging.  Normal breakdown time for us is around an hour and here it took one hour forty-five minutes.  </div> <div> We'd come back and do this show over and over again for as long as they will have us.  It's a fun show to do, the treatment is tops and sales are over the top.  I'd recommend it to anyone that wants to know what a major show is all about.     </div> <bR> </td> </tr></table></body>