Show Review of the Month Chester Fall Craft Show
September 9-10, 2023; Chester Fall Craft Show, Chester, NJ. Contact: Historic Chester Business Association, Kathy Barbieri, P.O. Box 320, Chester, NJ 07930; Phone: 908-879-2900; Email: proseandroses@aol.com; Website: ilovechester.com; Application fee: $15; Space fees; $195 to $755; Space sizes: 10x10 to 10x30; 100% outdoors; Exhibitors: 240; Attendance estimate: 11,000; Admission: $6.
Compiled from FastAudit reviews
The Chester Fall Craft Show includes traditional craft, fine art, and country crafts. Eighty three percent of the artists who reviewed 2023’s show said they would participate in it again.
“This is the best-organized show we attend. They really have their act together — really nice people. It's two hours away for us but worth the trip,” said a wood artist who made close to $1,200 at the show. The artist said it’s usually one of their better shows, but they were disappointed this year because of the weather. “Saturday was a great day — big crowds. Sunday, because of the heavy rains, a total bust — only one sale all day. You can't blame that on the organizers. They did their best to make it as good and safe as possible for everyone,” the artist said. “Normally, this is a very well-attended show. We did better at the spring version of the show but, again, you can't control the weather. The diehard shoppers were there on Sunday in their hip waders and slickers. Unfortunately, some of the vendors had left because of the weather. We’re planning on attending both spring and fall next year.”
One fine art artist had $3,500 in sales and would recommend the show to others. “It has been a great show over the many years that I attended, despite weather,” said the artist who would participate again.
It was the first year attending the show for an arts and crafts artist, who decided to exhibit on the street for the cost factor. “I did not get the traffic that vendors in the field had. Plus, there were three wreath vendors on the same street out of 18 vendors. I had a friend come and help me out on the first day. I stayed at another friend’s house overnight. The next day, when we arrived on-site, it rained for over two hours. It really put a damper on the day. Of course, the organizing committee had no control over the weather. I had to drive too far to not make enough money to cover my application fee, let alone my gas,” said this artist who made $250 and does not plan to do the show again. While disappointed in the sales, the artist said the event was well organized and the staff were helpful and friendly. “I don’t think they could have done anything else to help us other than drive people down to the street where we were,” the artist said.
An artist whose mediums are wood and arts and crafts would do the show again, saying it has good traffic. This artist made $150 and said the two-day event needed to have a rain date, because it is “unfair to tell vendors that it is a rain-or-shine event and if you leave prior (due to bad weather), the vendor will not be invited back the following year.”