By Jean Baker
Bridget Bayer’s Street Fairs for Community and Profit provides the tools to plan and stage at least 312 different profitable street fairs, based on a dozen themes, each with a possible 26 activities.
The street fair can be a first timer’s parking lot sale or a large annual event offering beer gardens, musical stages, children’s activities and drawing thousands.
Bayer is into planning first, last and always and she outlines every step from the first meeting through cleanup and take down. She covers volunteers, activities, marketing, fundraising, and putting the physical fair together and taking it apart again is carefully detailed. Throughout, she recommends compiling everything into a production book listing what worked and who has helped. This can be used for subsequent street fairs.
An important part of planning is knowing the kind of help you need and who can deliver it. Bayer describes personal traits and experience that makes the best match for each task. Look for a salesman for fundraiser; a teacher for volunteer leader, a detail type for permits. Many of these folks are in your community and would serve if asked. A strong believer in asking, she asks for volunteers, for sponsors, for funds and for in-kind donations.
This is a community event, so ask your community to help.
I recommend the first reading be from beginning to end. Street Fairs for Community and Profit guides the reader from the 10,000 foot level to the street, using symbols that offer tips, lessons learned, and how to access more information.
It’s an easy read, lavishly illustrated with street fair images and annotated with comments and cautions. Best of all, it’s educational even for the very experienced.
Order the book at www.bampdx.com
