Deadline, schmedline

How many times have you heard about an event that would be *perfect* for crafty wares, only to find that you missed the application deadline by a day or two, or maybe a week, or maybe even a couple months? Well, I've got a secret for you... it's rarely ever too late.

This was my first year of doing the craft festival circuit. I've heard that, generally speaking, the festival world has been hurt by the economic downfall. As a result, there seem to be more openings (whether this is a result of artisans not being able to afford the fees, or finding the experience to be not as worthwhile is unknown to me...), which means that you, as a crafter, have a bit of leverage.  I've had the luck of being let in to festivals on three occasions whose deadlines were way past. I just found out yesterday that I was able to get into the Celebration of Craftswomen's festival, and I applied 4 months past the deadline!

The thing to do is just send a polite email expressing your interest. You never know! But don't let something as simple as a little deadline be a deterrent.

***Oh, one more thing: many festivals are open to lowering their fee for new or first time vendors. So, if there's an event you're excited about, but nervous about the investment, just ask if they'd be willing to lower the fee a bit.***