Rain, Rain, Go or Stay

by Amy of Bumble Belly Designs

Last year was my first full schedule of outdoor art shows. Wow, talk about a baptism of fire - or shall we say rain. Last June it rained at least a little at every show. I became frustrated but determined I would not let it bring me down. I never noticed a drop in sales and I'm happy to report that my most successful day last year was one that it rained all day long. Here's the thing, the rainy shopper is a spender more times than not.

Once again I am tuned into the weather reports as the season kicks off for me. I now have 2 pairs of wellies and have a few essentials when I prepare for a rainy show.

1. Seam seal my tent seams - I went to EMS and purchased seam seal for camping tents. It is really easy to apply. Set up your tent on a warm day and just brush it over the stitched seams and allow it to dry all day. This has saved me in down pours.

2. Pack plastic drop cloth and clear bags - You can get a drop cloth in the painting section at Home Depot. I like to use it under my tables where I store my soft sided bags. Most of my soft items I display in clear bags to protect them from soiling, but on a rainy day I will be sure everything that can be effected by the rain is in a clear bag.

3. Paper Towels - I can't tell you how muddy things get in a wet parking lot. Grass can be a bit better but things will get grassy bits on them. I use them to keep my hands clean and to wipe off things that may fall on the ground. Also, if it is a misty day, I can wipe the mist off my items that are packaged in clearbags.

4. My boots! - I spent one day with wet feet and that was it. It is difficult to keep up spirits with pruney, cold toes.

5. Layers of clothes - The funny thing about a rainy day is that it can feel muggy and humid one minute and then damp and cold the next. Setting up can build up quite a sweat and you may pull off your raincoat getting a bit damp in the process. It is nice to be able to put on a warm, dry shirt and other layers as you cool back down. I have actually zipped up my tent after setup to strip off my shirt and change. I may be part gypsy ;)

Well, those are some lessons I learned last year and will put to use this season - because we live in New England and that's life. What are some things that you do for a rainy show day?