Tables- Lightweight but sturdy. Plastic folding tables are the easiest for transport while still being durable, and come in a number of different sizes. Adjustable height is recommended, or you can get furniture lift things, to raise them up for easier viewing of product. Quite a few indoor shows will provide tables and chairs, so make sure you know if they are beforehand. No need to carry the extra weight or take up extra space. And tray/TV tables! You don’t want to be eating over just your lap, or the tables you are using for display. They are also great for just setting things and organizing what you are setting up.
Tablecloths- Fabric is best for this, as it’s easy to care for and will last a long time. Going with a matte fabric, like a sturdy woven cotton or polyester, will let the shine of glazed pieces catch the eye, as will having it be black or another dark color. Polyester will not fade in sunlight as easily, but cotton is easy to just dye dark again. They will also cover the state the table itself is in, especially if it’s used or rented- those tend to be a bit beaten up.
Displays- Things to put your pieces in easy line of sight, and to make the ones that are more detailed or higher priced set ‘above’ the others, either figuratively or literally. It’s as easy as boxes or blocks of wood with fabric wrapped around them, or you can go with professional ones that are available online. These shouldn’t be eye-catching on their own- you want them to make your things look good.
Chairs- Folding is easy to get a hold of, and great for transport. There are also some pretty comfortable ones out there, they’ve come a long way from vinyl slats on an aluminum frame. Fabric or plastic will work great, depending on how you are comfortable sitting. Seat cushions are also a nice addition to this. You have to stay comfortable!
Food/Drink- A cooler of whatever size you need, and ice or cooler packs for cold things. Water and some sort of sports drink is an absolute must, because the number one cause of headaches and irritability is dehydration. Even if you don’t feel particularly thirsty, you have to drink. Especially in hot or sunny weather. As for food, things that are high-energy and easy or quick to eat, especially if you are running your booth alone. Fairs don’t close for lunch, and you need to be able to pause your eating to talk to a customer. Coffee or other caffeine sources are fine, especially if you are used to drinking that, but it’s not a substitute for water.
Napkins/Paper Towel- You never know when you need to clean up a spill, and you would be surprised at how many events forget the little things like this. Wet wipes, like for babies, is also a good idea, as they can clean sticky things like soda off of nearly every surface, including you. These even have sensitive skin varieties, which are a bonus for obvious reasons.
Your Crafts! In the rush or activity of packing, it can be easy to forget a small box of something you meant to sell. Put these boxes in prominent areas when you are planning what to take, and double or even triple check that you have everything. Also, some places might want or offer for you to be able to craft things on-site. If you have a way to do so, I highly recommend it. Seeing someone making something brings a lot of attention, and if you offer custom-made items, you have a higher chance of actually selling more!
A Helper! Having a second person is very important. Bathroom breaks, fetching food or something from a car, and helping talk to people who are interested when things get hectic. In all honesty, a group of at least three, but no more than five, running a booth is the best idea, as there can always be two actually there at all times.
Cash Container- A lock-box or money pouch works. You need some cash to start the day with, as well. Most people are just going to be carrying larger bills, like $20s, at the beginning, so you need to be able to break that for change. Keeping you prices as even intervals helps a lot with this, going by fives means you don’t need singles. Start out with more than fifty, if at all possible, although smaller events you can probably get away with thirty. And break that up into smaller bills, fives and tens are the best, and do a mix of them.
Inventory Book and Price Tags- Keep track of your sales! If you have a small enough stock, or lots of very individual/unique pieces, take the time in the days before to catalog and price everything. This also helps if you have to leave the table and your helpers need to find a price, like if something lost its tag. For the tags themselves, the best kind depends on what you sell. There are tags with little strings on them, and there are stickers. Stickers often come in different colors, so if you do go with a price system that’s in even increments, you can just make a handy little note card or other notice with the color and price on that. The stringed ones will need prices written on all of them. And don’t forget to bring a pen! Multiple, actually- they like to disappear.
Credit Card Reader- A lot of people run out of cash, or don’t even bring any. If you are getting seriously invested, this is a major point to work with. Square accepts all major cards, and has a handy inventory keeper in it. It just needs to be linked to a device like a smartphone or tablet, and access to the web- a data hotspot is easy to get a hold of for this.
Containers- You need things to carry all this stuff in. Plastic bins of varying sizes are great, and will be able to keep everything pretty well protected. They are also easy to carry, stack, and store.
First Aid- All fairs will have a place to get medical help, but having adhesive bandages and ointments at your table will prevent having to track down someone to get a minor cut taken care of. Also bring allergy meds, pain medications, anti-inflammatories, and tissues. Think you don’t need pain meds? Think again- your feet will hurt after every show, sometimes more of you, too.
Tent/Pavilion- Cover is one of the most important things, or you will be burnt to a crisp on sunny days and soaked to the bone on rainy. If you are doing outdoor shows often, invest in one of the better ones, and treat it with a coat of spray Flex-seal (or something like it) on both sides of the fabric. It will help waterproof it and make it last longer. If you get tiny holes in it, as will eventually happen, you can just spray that area again, at least before it’s a big hole.
Pavilion Sides- Rain has a tendency to drift in any amount of wind, and it will get inside your shelter. Again, spraying these with sealant will make them last longer and work better. There is a downside- on extremely windy days, they may try to turn the pavilion into a kite. To help reduce this, cut slits in the lower half of the walls, running vertically. This cuts down on the resistance it gives the wind, without allowing too much of the possible rain in. BONUS- they help block out early morning or late evening light!
Extra Tent Stakes and Paracord- Use these to tie down anything and everything you might need to! It is literally invaluable to crafters with outdoor events. Buy lots of both, and look up different knots. Practice these, too, you never know when a speedy tie-down will be needed.
Buckets with Sand/Gravel/Rocks/Cement- Pavement doesn’t allow for tent stakes. Five gallon buckets are easy to fill and carry, as they usually have handles. Those make it easy to tie lines to as well. If going with cement, you will want to get heavy duty eye screws. While the cement is still soft, screw them into the center of the surface, up to the eye itself, leaving room for acord or rope. When it is set, these will be heavy, but some of the best weights for the case.
Blankets- A sudden chill is terrible. There are good outdoor/lawn blankets for sale out there. They can also be put down on the ground if it gets really soggy for any reason. Muddy ground in front of your booth is a huge deterrent for most people. Rugs would work well for this too, as long as you have access to some way to clean them.
Extra clothing! Dress for the weather, and expect the unexpected. If it’s supposed to be warm, have lightweight clothing, but still keep a jacket or something for any sudden drop in temp. If the weather is cold, bring more than you think you’ll need. Craft fairs are a lot of being in one place, and it’s much easier to feel cold faster.
Contact- Keep in touch with whoever is running the event. This makes it easy to know when dates are changed, if certain things are provided, and if you will need extras of your own. You can also offer ideas, find out where in the place you might be, and in general be helpful. Try not to overwhelm them with questions or advice, though, as these people will be working nonstop in the weeks or days before it takes place. If they are not answering something important, though, keep at it until they do.
Power Options- Some places will have electricity available. Some of these will charge extra for it. Know when the event is starting and ending, and if outdoors, how much light will be available in the general area. If after dark, bring some form of light. Battery powered lamps are readily available at camping stores. Buy several, as one might not be enough to shed light on both your tables and behind them. If you can, try to find ones with a warmer tone, as white LEDs can wash out colors.
Wagon/Dolly- Because you now have all this stuff to move around, you need an easy way to do it. Collapsible wagons are some of the best things out there, and come with heavy duty wheels, to go over rough terrain. Or, you know, slave labor friends work too.
Something Else To Do- Sometimes, fairs are just slow. Talking with people is the easiest way to pass time, but having another small something can help a lot. Just make sure it is not too engrossing, as you need to be aware of your booth still.
A Sign! Something to draw the eye is important, especially if what you are selling is small. It also gives you a Name, which is invaluable if you want return customers.
Feel free to add to this post anything I missed. A lot of this is from my own personal experience running booths with my friends and partners, and it is by no means a complete list of things. And, please, please, reblog this! I met far too many fellow crafters who came woefully unprepared. I want to see people go into this kind of thing knowing what they need, not just having some vague idea that they want to sell things.
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