big drawn-out sigh.

byot! was another really disappointing craft fair. elijah and rhonda, the organizers, were sweet enough and did a fine job organizing the event. i think this was just a classic case of poor fit. the folks in town for salem's bizarre bazaar (never to be confused with this bazaar bizarre) weren't really an "indie" crowd. they were far more interested in the witch-themed sweatshirts and crystal balls being offered at the street fair. it was marketing 101, and this craft fair failed the class.

but, there was some pretty good people-watching, which kept us entertained for part of the day. a good number of souls roamed the streets in the capes and costumes, soaking up the pre-holiday vibe, in what is surely the halloween* capital of the world. oddly, we ended the day with only this photo:



too bad they weren't about to buy what we were selling. while on a break from the fair, ann was discussing our dismal day with a local store owner, who said, "oh honey, i know. unless they can put it on their heads, or in their mouths, they just aren't interested."

i think i know what she meant:



a big shout out to molly, who was our neighbor during the fair. the mogo booth was positioned near the front door, and we were the first line of defense in fending off the peeps who came to our booth looking for either the bathrooms - or someone named pastor phil - all day.

anyway, molly sells these lovely necklaces, bracelets, and earrings with beads each made by hand. if you are in the market for some nice jewelry, you should check her out.



so, now we know. we've learned our lesson twice so far this year. we are definitely going to be a lot pickier when finding events in the future, and will do some more rigorous questioning of organizers. we'll start with no more fairs that are just tacked onto other events.

*the curmudgeon in me thought it was a little sad to see a town with such a rich history being cheapened by all the plastic toys and crappy costumes being sold on each street corner. i don't think it's sour grapes doing the talking here.