HOW TO START YOUR OWN BAZAAR

(Parts of this text are excerpted from a piece written and published in the DIYinPDX scrapbook, February 2003.)

Here's how to plan a Handmade Bazaar of your very own in nine easy steps:

1. Pick a date.
We chose summer so that we could have the sale outdoors. Give yourself a good couple of months to plan.

2. Make a flyer announcing the bazaar to potential participants.
No need to have all the details, simply include the date and contact information. We like to make these flyers by hand and distribute them wherever we go. You never know who might be a secret crafter. Having a deadline really helps to motivate people. If the flyer looks really cool no one will want to miss out.

3. Keep a list.
You will start getting lots of calls about your flyer. Having a master list really helps you organize. The list will tell you how big your bazaar is getting, how many tables you need to find, and how many people to expect. Be aware that lots of people show up who don't RSVP, so plan for extra.

4. Plan for food & music.
We have always planned our Bazaar collectively. Deciding to have food and music brings a lot of extra work. It helps to have one person work on music -- we book quiet acts out of consideration for our neighbors) -- and another coordinate food. Gather the supplies you need: P.A., microphones, extension cords, dishes, groceries, garbage bags, etc.

5. Advertise.
Once the music is booked and all the specifics have been pinned down, make a second flyer announcing time, date, address, bands and other pertinent information to the general public. If you don't mind a lot of people coming, let your local arts & entertainment paper know about the event. They might write it up.

6. Make final preparations.
If your garage looks anything like ours, you'll need to clean it out before the Bazaar. You'll be surprised how easily junk can be turned into functional, makeshift tables. You may also need to pull weeds and mow the lawn. If you think the weather is going to be bad, you'll need to get some tarps or borrow a gazebo tent from your grandma. Make sure you've got enough space for everyone's stuff, whether it is tables, clotheslines, or blankets on the ground.

7. Get a good night's sleep.
The Bazaar, while extremely fun and exciting, is also very exhausting. You'll need the rest.

8. Enjoy the Bazaar!
Once vendors set up and people start to arrive, the Bazaar will basically run itself. You will need to be available to answer questions and show people to the bathroom, but you'll also get to put faces to the names you've collected on your list, see amazing crafts as they hit the tables, eat yummy food while listening to sweet music, and otherwise enjoy yourself.

9. Congratulate yourself...
...and start planning another Bazaar!