Port Clinton 2008

<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>Port Clinton 2008</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> <B>August 23-24, Port Clinton Art Festival, Highland Park.</B> Contact: Amdur Productions, PO Box 550, Highland Park, IL 60035; phone 847-926-4300, fax 847-926-4330. E-mail: <FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#0000FF" FACE="ITC-NewBaskerville" ><U>info@amdurproductions.com</U></FONT>. Web site: <FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#0000FF" FACE="ITC-NewBaskerville" ><U>www.amdurproductions.com</U></FONT>. Application fee: $40. Space fee: $725-$1,600. Space size: 10x10 to 10x20. 100% outdoors. Exhibitors: 260.</div> <div>  </div> <div> This was the third year for Patty and me at this usually well-above-average show. Highland Park is a very upscale suburb of Chicago with lots of great restaurants and shops, and the downtown area is a great location for an art show. The people who live nearby come out to support this very high-quality and well-run event, which was ranked the #3 fine art show in the nation in the most recent <I>200 Best</I> survey.</div> <div> This year’s Festival had a new layout that was really conducive to crowd flow, and it helped generate enthusiasm. It was the 25th year for the show, and Amy Amdur added “A Taste of Highland Park,” an area featuring booths from local restaurants and lots of tables for fairgoers to rest while eating and listening to the music on stage. </div> <div> Setup was staggered on Friday, and the booth location determined your setup time. Artists on the sidewalks and common areas of the shopping center could set up early on Friday while artists on the street could start setting up either at 6 or 7:30 p.m. This is how an art show should be run! The staff knew how to get artists in, unloaded and parked. And I’d advise you to not try any funny business around this seasoned staff, as they've seen it all before and know how to keep things running smoothly.</div> <div> The weather was really hot on Saturday (in the 90s) but perfect on Sunday with a high of 79 and lots of sun. Saturday was not as crowded as usual here, but I saw lots of large, framed paintings go by our booth. Sunday was as crowded as I have ever seen it here, but I didn’t notice as much art being sold. Try to figure out anything about this business!</div> <div> Patty and I sold three pieces, with an average price of just under $2,000, making this year's show slower than last year’s but still OK. We wish we had done better here because expenses were so high, but we'll definitely be back next year to try again.</div> <div> I spoke with four painters; one reported above-average sales, one about average and two well below average. I also spoke with a glass artist who said this was usually one of his best shows of the year but that this year’s total was way down from previous years. However, he still did OK.</div> <div> A jeweler and a photographer both reported average shows, and both commented on how this was usually such a strong show for them also. A clay artist reported doing very well and came very close to selling out. He said he would have done much better if he had brought more inventory. </div> <div> Breakdown was about as easy as it gets for a street show. We broke down our booth first, got a pass, came in, loaded up quickly and got out. Some chose to dolly while others chose to wait. By 6 p.m., the sun had started to set a bit and temperatures cooled off even more, making this one of the nicest breakdowns we've had in a long time.</div> <bR> </td> </tr></table></body>