Delray Affair 2007

<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>Delray Affair 2007</B></div> <bR> <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> <bR> <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> April 13-15 Delray, Fl.  The Delray Affair.  Contact: The Delray Beach Chamber of Commerce, 64-A S.E. 5th Ave, Delray Beach, Fl. 33483.  Ph: 561-278-0424, website: www.delrayaffair.com App. Fee: 30.00, Space Fee: 315.00. Space size: 10x10. Number of exhibitors: Over 600.  100% outdoors.  Attendance 250,000 (source: staff estimate).  </div> <div> This is one of the largest shows we do.  Booths are on the street, in a shopping center, school yard and in a park.  This is our eighth year for participating in this normally steady show.  The quality of work has declined over the past few years and this year has sunk to an all time low.  There's more buy/sell and imported work for sale here than I have ever seen!  The weather was brutally hot Friday and Saturday.  Sunday it was very windy and rained late in the day.  Not a good year weather wise!  </div> <div> For all of you readers that complain our reviews are all rosy and we never have anything bad to say, this reviews for you!  I actually received calls from three different artists after this show and all asked the same question, "What went wrong this year?"  The people attending this year's show were the least art savvy, least sophisticated people I have ever seen at any art show anywhere, period!  Artists selling pieces in the $20.00 price range were being asked why they were charging so much for their artwork.  We actually had a couple in our booth, I'm not making this up, that discussed their framing options for one of our four inch by five inch refrigerator magnets!  They debated for five minutes about how it could be framed before walking out without purchasing the magnet in question.  A neighbor artist told me he had a woman that was going home to ask her husbands permission and to measure a space and would possibly be back to buy a four inch by four inch, twenty dollar ceramic star fish.  </div> <div> Every artist I spoke with reported this was their worst year ever here.  We managed only one small sale for $860.00.  A mixed media artist reported two sales totaling $200.00, not each, total.  What was selling at this years show?  Glad you asked!  This show is usually very well attended and many people can be seen carrying bunches of gladiolas that can be purchased for under five dollars.  The other hot selling items here are painted signs on a stick that read "It's five o'clock somewhere" and "we don't skinny dip, we chunky dunk."  </div> <div> This is a local show for us and usually fairly consistent, nothing great but slightly below average.  We all left shaking our heads this year; I spoke with several artists that would not be back again.  Patty and I are still undecided if we will try again.  </div> <div> On the bright side, setup and breakdown are pretty easy here.  Many of the over 600 artists left early with the threat of a storm and high winds looming.  Some left early Sunday Morning while others waited and left midday.  By 3:00 when the rain actually started about 50% were already gone.  Patty and I waited till 4:00 when the rain stopped to pack up.  By then most of the artists had either left or were in the process of packing up.  One last note, this is a show with lots of staff riding around in golf carts, buzzing up and down the streets.  One came by early Sunday morning and said that they would keep us informed about weather changes throughout the day.  That was the last update we ever received.  Saw lots of carts going up and down the street but not once was any information passed on about storms, wind or weather.  </div> <div> If you are looking for a recommendation for this show, if you sell imported items really cheap, this is the show for you!  Fine artists, take the weekend off and go to the beach! </div> </td> </tr></table></body>