Advantages of the "Shop Local" movement for Event Organizers

There has been a big push in recent years to support local business. The small shopkeepers in the small towns and the big cities of America are struggling in the poor economy and have taken definite steps to up the ante on Main Street.  From "Cash Mobs" to "BuyLocal" events the push to help keep our dollars in the local economy is going strong and gaining momentum.

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People are very supportive of the idea and will bypass the local big box stores to patronize the small shops owned and operated by their neighbors, friends and families. This trend benefits everyone involved. It keeps local money local. When you buy your Christmas gifts from a small shop or your Mocha Latte from an independent coffee stand you are helping a local mom pay for her kids' braces, or a person stay in business so they can provide entry level jobs to local high school students during the busy season. You are infusing your cash into your town and your neighbors. It is a win / win scenario.

So what does this trend to support local business have to do with event organizers? A lot. Trying to think of a new event venue, one that is a bit more socially responsive than the tried and true "Arts in the Park" option? How about this: Get together with the local Chamber of Commerce and pitch a "Buy Local Festival" to take place on Main Street. Suggest a day long street fair type event with vendors, artists and music. Get the shopkeepers on board and emphasize the benefits for them. Suggest they do sidewalk sales events and offer discounts or specials on the big day. Get their ideas and be open to suggestions while keeping your focus on the event and how you can all be of benefit to each other.

This sort of event lends itself well to a theme. The most obvious one is "Made in America" - another huge trend right now. What could be better than a Buy Local/Made in America event in July? Does your town plan events or fireworks around the 4th of July holiday already? Great, there will be lots of folks in town! Get the shopkeepers to decorate with flags and bunting, put it in your vendors contract that there will be a prize for "most patriotic" booth. Create buzz in the weeks leading up to the event by posting flyers in the businesses or supplying them with bag stuffers detailing the event. You need to supply all the promo materials. Do not expect that the shop keepers will do it for you, they won't and they shouldn't.

Doing a Christmas fair? The same plan works at any time of year. Find a local farm that does horse-drawn carriage rides and invite them to participate (Hint: they can also do hay rides in July)  and talk to local schools and churches about providing strolling groups of carolers. Hire a Santa Clause if none of the shops have one.Talk to the local High School Booster Club about providing a kids area with games. They can charge a small fee and make money for the local sports team. Do a Trick or Treat Main Street Halloween Fair! Have a Harvest Festival. There are so many ways to make this work and lots of times these events turn into annual events and big draws for small towns. If your town doesn't have one - make it happen.

One area to be mindful of is food vendors - in a street fair scenario they are just as welcome as any other event; just make sure you do not assign them space in front of the local diner or burger joint! This applies to all of your vendors. Select and place them with an eye to not be in direct competition with the local businesses you are working with. No one will appreciate losing business to some interloper selling the same thing they are, trust me. When you pitch the idea to the locals it is a very, very good idea to make it abundantly clear that you are there to enhance their businesses, not to compete with them.

Just as with any other fair you will need to contact local law enforcement. They need to know what is going on. You need insurance. You need helpers. You are also responsible for all the gritty details like trash removal, porta-potties and parking. No town will thank you for making a mess for their public works department to clean up. This is just as much your show as any other type of event and you are responsible for everything from first to last. Resign yourself to that fact at the start. Sweeping streets late at night is a noble profession, you (or better yet a half dozen hired hands) will enjoy it. Make that town happy to have worked with you - especially if you ever want to do it again. Have a clear plan.

Just a word to the wise: When you are selecting your vendors you will obviously be giving preference to the locals. Once the roster is full up with artisans and vendors from the immediate area then - and only then - can you begin to offer space to those from outside the local areas. While I usually do not hold geography against any artisan this is one venue where you must. The whole point of the exercise is, after all: Buy Local!

If you plan it right and pitch it right the Shop Local Fair concept can be very good business for everyone involved. It is fun and it helps boost local economies. That is a great thing.

All that Green is not shamrocks

Green. The word evokes many things to many people. Ireland, money, trees, lush lawns. It is a simple little word that certainly gets a lot of use these days. It is the new buzzword for environmentally friendly. It stands for using less, recycling more, reducing the carbon footprint and making the planet a better place to hang out.

"Green" cars. "Green" energy. "Green" cleaners. "Green" clothes. "Green" food. You-name-it and someone is prefacing it with "Green." In the current environmentally conscious climate being green is the scene.

So how do you incorporate this trending mania for all things "green" into show promotion? How do you tap into the trend and reap some of the benefits of not just the movement, but the very real and beneficial ideas behind it? In this article we will explore a few ideas for making your next show an emerald extravaganza!

Start small: You need not go whole hog and revamp the entire format to incorporate some green in your shows. By taking baby steps you can get a feel for what works and what doesn't.

Instead of one trash can for everything use recycling stations: Put out trash cans, of course, but next to that put a recycle can. Take one large plastic trash bin and cut a can-size hole in the lid and stick an "Aluminum only" sign on it. Put these pairs at strategic locations around the show and make sure you have a way to haul it all to the recyclers after the show ends. Heavy duty bags and a pickup truck at minimum. Most places will pay you per pound for the aluminum. Bonus!

Plastic bags are a real problem in a lot of areas these days. In many places they have been outlawed, with more coming on board all the time. This is an area you can use to your advantage. Hand out re-usable shopping bags at the gate, these are fairly inexpensive bought in bulk and can even be imprinted with your show logo - great advertising for the next show! String bags are also available for even less cost. Charging admission and want to be really hip?  Advertise an entry discount for anyone who brings their own bags. If that is not in the budget suggest to the vendors that they offer them for sale. If you offer a discount on their space for using these instead of plastic bags they will be much more likely to play along. While you could just say no plastic shopping bags allowed and police all your vendors all weekend I do not recommend it. Always try to go for cooperation over dictating. Make it a fun part of the show and it will work.

Recruit vendors based on the green theme. Put it in your promo materials. Choose vendors who are already espousing a green philosophy in their work. There are many, many artists out there who use only recycled, up-cycled or low impact materials in their wares. There are also those whose works "get the message out" even if their medium is not necessarily recycled - it's hard to recycle when you are a photographer, for instance. But this doesn't mean their work isn't "green." If it fits with the theme it works for your show.

Image © 2012 Susan Patch

  If you are planning a new show this is much easier to do and can (should!) be a key part of your marketing strategy. Advertising an "All Green" arts fair would be tapping into the trend big time and is not really that hard to accomplish. It will require careful jurying and a few specific questions on the application, but it is totally doable and most of the artisans you want to attract will jump at the opportunity to be a part of a show that highlights their dedication to helping the planet thrive.

Talk to local environmental groups. Get their input and maybe even get one or two to come and do a presentation at your event. Most groups are very willing to share their message. Use common sense and make certain you know what they will be presenting before hand!  Most groups are just fine, but you do not want to be blindsided by some radical eco-activist bunch - nor do your patrons. It does happen.

Highlight the green theme in your advertising, work with your artists and vendors - they probably have some great ideas. Encourage patrons to bring their own bags, look for ways to minimize the impact of trash and unnecessary printed materials and enjoy the feeling of doing your part to help save the planet.