The Gentle Welcome A friendly greeting is perfect, but don't leap out of your chair the second a toe crosses your threshold. Give visitors a moment to land and absorb the space before engaging.
The Story Exchange Share the excitement! Invite visitors to tell you about other pieces they’ve seen at the festival that moved their emotions. It builds the energy of the entire community rather than just isolating your own booth.
The Golden Microphone Never say anything about another maker or their artwork that you wouldn't say directly to their face. Trash-talking neighbors to patrons reflects poorly on you, not them. A rising tide lifts all boats.
The Golden Rule of the Grid If a behavior from your neighbor would drive you crazy—whether it's bickering with a partner, playing loud music, or burning incense—don't do it to them.
Keep It Contained Your 10x10 is your castle, but do not let your moat spill over. Keep your chairs, bins, and displays safely inside your own borders so traffic can flow freely.
The Ghost Car Routine When you arrive, drop your gear, instantly vanish your vehicle to the parking lot, and then set up your booth. Reverse the spell at the end of the day: pack your booth entirely into boxes on the curb before bringing the car back.
Anchor Down Gravity is merely a suggestion to a pop-up tent. Keep your weights resting securely on the ground so your booth doesn't become a kite and threaten your neighbor's setup.
Good Fences Make Good Neighbors Treat the imaginary lines between tents like solid brick walls. Do not use your neighbor's booth as a shortcut or borrow their display walls without asking.
The "Do Not Poach" Policy If a patron is mesmerized by the booth next door, let them finish their journey. Wait until they have stepped fully into your space before saying hello.
Be a Good Scout Introduce yourself to your neighbors, offer a hand if a tent pole gets stuck, and maybe bring an extra snack to share. We are all in this together.
Leave No Trace When the festival wraps, leave the curb exactly as you found it. Sweep up your zip ties, trash, and coffee cups.
Brave the Vulnerability Don't just curate for what you think the crowd wants. Be brave enough to bring that weird, highly personal piece that you aren't sure will sell. Often, the piece that scares you the most is the exact one that creates the deepest, most permanent connection with a buyer.
Build the Bridge Don't let a fantastic conversation walk away into the crowd, hoping the algorithm will bring them back. Politely offer a mailing list sign-up, a guestbook, or a quick text-link. Own your audience by giving them a direct bridge to find you long after the festival tents come down.
Celebrate the Lookers Not everyone has the budget to be a patron today, but today's enthusiastic browser is tomorrow's dedicated collector. Treat the person asking a dozen questions with the exact same grace and warmth as the person handing you a credit card.