I never really thought about what to expect to pay. It was more of where I thought my work would sell. I started doing shows 3 years ago. First year was mostly craft shows but I quickly realized that I needed to go to fine art shows and its been great. Most of my shows are in the Chicago area but I also go to Wisconsin and some southern states. Craft show fees ran $125-$175 for a 2 day show. Art shows run me $250-$450.

If you can, go to a show you are interested in this year.  If you like what you see then apply the next year.  Stay away from shows that have manufactured products like Tupper ware, Elvis blankets, Mexican Imports etc.  At least around here those are a total waste of time.

Before I started doing shows, my wife and I spent the entire summer and fall the year before going to both types of shows to get a feel for show organization & presentation, booth setup & displays, and pricing/quality. I still like to go around at the shows I'm in to look at other booth displays and get ideas, which have helped since I'm in the process of changing mine. Also, talk to the vendors to get a feel about the shows they do. Most are willing to suggest what works for them and where successful shows are.

Lee, as has been said, there is a big difference between craft fairs, arts and craft fairs, and art fairs. The cost of the entry fee can be, but not always, an indication of the caliber of the show.  Many of the art fairs are now charging a jury fee just to apply and then if you are accepted, there is a booth fee that you must pay.  Most of the shows/fairs are now using an online 3rd party for applications.  Check out zapplication.org, they have a lot of shows all across the country. You can look at the different shows they have on their site and see what the cost are, application time line, etc.

The other thing you need to think about is to make sure you have a clear understanding of the sales tax laws in the state where the show is and also if a state and/or city sales tax license is required.

Good luck and hope this has helped.

Steve

I remember doing an "arts & crafts" show long ago... I was selling my (TRYING to sell) photography and across from me was a guy who had the most beautiful stain glass pieces.

Neither of us sold a single thing but the guy next door who had made Giraffes out of 3/4 pine boards...and it LOOKED like it... was selling all day.

Most of the stuff sold were low end crafts. Needless to say the description of the show was a far cry from the reality.

I also remember doing a show in North Jersey where I sold over $500 of my photos (above the entrance fee) for the 2 days of the show at a time where I wasn't making that much per week at my day job!!

Then the recession hit!!!

And of course, return on investment can vary widely.  Years ago, poorly cut pine lots of splinters) pine what-not shelves with a very blotchy walnut stain sold like hotcakes for maybe $12?  Couple dollars for materials, an hour or so labor.  Deduct show fee and travel costs, a day to load and unload, travel times, one or two days for the show, possibly lodging costs. . .  They moved a lot of product, and took from visitors money that might have been spent on artisanal products.  Today the hotcakes items might be wooden pop guns, aprons, . . .  There will always be these types of products at some shows, you'll have to decide if you want to be alongside them.

Does Sunshine magazine still exist?  It used to list upcoming shows around the country in each issue.

Depending on where you are, do a google for Rose Squared Productions. They were  THE one to book with back when I was doing them.

Most of their shows are in North Jersey but back then, they also did a couple down in Florida in the winter.

Thay were very picky about the quality of the work and the shows were always a big draw with the disposable cash crowd.