Isle of Eight Flags Shrimp 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>Isle of Eight Flags Shrimp 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> <div> </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 Isle of Eight Flags Shrimp Festival</div> <div> May 1-2, 41st Isle of Eight Flags Shrimp Festival, Fernandina Beach, Fl.  Contact: Island Art Association, P.O. Box 1251, Fernandina Beach, Fl. 32035.  904-261-1074  www.islandart.org   </div> <div> This is one of those shows artists are always talking about.  Some love it, others hate it!  I had heard so many artists say such horrible things about this show we didn't even apply the last few years.  I had spoken to a few artists that do the show on a regular basis and had nice things to say to say about it, so this year we decided to give it a try.  I haven't been this unsettled while driving to a show in a long time.  The first red flag pops up on the application, Friday night set-up is permitted but no security is provided.  If show promoters expect artists to be professional, artists should expect the same from promoters.  If you allow set-up on Friday then provide security Friday night!  This is a major show with a budget in the hundreds of thousands of dollars, protect what the patrons are coming to see.  </div> <div> The weather report for the weekend was the second red flag.  Thunderstorms were predicted for both days.  I was really starting to wonder if I should just stay home.  </div> <div> I spoke with a few veteran artists that told me they had set-up on Friday in years past and not had any problems.  The show runs down Center Street with artists also on side streets.  The streets are narrow with booths on both sides.  Getting loaded and unloaded here can be a chore.  Booth spaces are 12 feet wide with ample storage behind.  </div> <div> Saturday the weather cooperated until 5:00 pm and then the skies opened up, closing the show for the day.  Sunday again the weather cooperated until about 45 after the show had closed, the skies again opened up with thunder and lightning sending some artists scurrying and others paid no attention to it.  </div> <div> There were good crowds all day long both days, most of the veteran artists I spoke with said this year sales were a little slow for them.  I sold one small piece that basically paid my expenses for the weekend and that was it for me.  I'm not sure if we'll try again next year or not.  I do feel there were enough artists here that do well, there is potential to have a good show.  I spoke with three veteran painters, two said they had done well, this is usually an average show for them and this year did about that.  One did not do well this year.  One veteran jeweler said this is usually an average show for her and this year was way down.  A veteran sculptor said this is usually an average show and this year was about the same.  One first time sculptor said this was a slightly below average show for him.  </div> <div> All in all my experience was not as bad as the hype I had heard from many artists that had trashed the show.  The people were very nice here, there were good buying crowds of well educated people and it was an art show.  Some did well others did not.  </div> <bR> <bR> </td> </tr></table></body>