Kentuck Festival of the Arts Reviews..

Show Name: Kentuck Festival of Art
City and State: Northport, Al
Your Medium: Metal
Year you most recently exhibited at this Show: 2011
Your Estimated Sales at this Show: $2001-$5000
Number of Years You have Exhibited in this Show: 1st time
Attendance: (1 is poor, 5 is great) 4
Location: 5 (great)
Facilities: 3
Ease of Participating: 5 (great)
Sales: 4
Overall: 4
Booth Fee vs. Your Sales Ratio: Good
Estimated Attendance: 10,001-50,000 people

Good Things about this Art Fair:
This show is situated in Kentuck Park in the city of Northport. There is a paved trail that runs through the tree-filled park and booths are laid out along that as well as in loops branching out from the trail. Good layout, easy to navigate. The atmosphere here is that of a happy family reunion. Many artists have been doing this show for years--if you are juried in 3 years in a row then you are grandfathered in. This was my first year, after trying to get in for several, and as I am invited back next year I hope I can grab that third year and come back again and again! The weather was fantastic--80's and sunny and the patrons the friendliest I've met--actually thanking me for doing the show. This show has quite a history and the work here--that of outsider and self taught artists is awe inspiring. An article in a 2003 issue of Smithsonian Magazine brought this show to the attention of many--it's worth reading and can be found online. Easy set up and tear down--you can drive up to your booth spot and I didn't see a bad spot anywhere! It can be dusty here and a quagmire if it rains and the grounds crew did a great job throwing down mulch throughout the entire park to keep the dust (in this case) down. Artist awards dinner at the Kentuck Museum with beer and music. I was happy with my sales but I was one of the "new kids" on the block so we will see how next year fares. Other artists I talked to seemed, overall, satisfied with their sales.

Bad Things about this Art Fair: Many felt the 8:00am start time on Saturday (for special art patrons) was an hour too early. Although I did have a sale there were not too many patrons present. No artist bathrooms, just port a jons. The relatively newly paved path is lined with rocks that made for treacherous entering and exiting of booths and were impossible for those in wheelchairs to navigate. This issue is being addressed by the committee.
Advice to Other Artists Considering this Show: Be sure to bring your checkbook. Taxes are collected at the end of the show by three different agencies. Also, book your motel early--if there is a home AL football game in nearby Tuscaloosa rooms can be scarce and very expensive.

Posted by: Vinnie Sutherland | 11/21/2011 at 12:02 AM

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