So, it is my goal to pop from mountain-town to mountain-town doing arts and crafts shows during the weekends in summer. I applied to quite a few, and was accepted to about half, which is a pretty good track record for my first year out. Most months I have a show lined up 3 out of 4 weekends.

In part, it was a total crap shoot, what I applied to and am going to.

Last weekend I went to Grand Lake for their Fair. I parked the trailer in another Forest Service Campground (and feel the need to try for other places in the future). I drove the trailer up through Berthoud Pass, and set the tent up on a Friday.

My booth neighbors was a couple of mud slingers. John and Barb are both potters – they make lovely work.

It was kismet to be next to them. #Protips left and right about fairs in general, the Grand Lake show, what to avoid, types of tents, traveling, the craft cycle in different states (the confirmed that Colorado sales in May are bust – they were in Omaha instead).

Over the next two days, through their show reviews, I realized that Barb & John and I are going to be at about half of the same shows in the coming months.

I have to say I am a little relieved to find that I didn’t make utterly horrible choices in applying to some of these shows.z

In the same vein, I was recently accepted to a Art Festival up in Livingston, Montana during the 4th of July week. In part I hope to go and do a little detective work about the area, sounds lovely, as well as vacation, and have a much longer trip than typical.

I was calling around for a reservation spot, and well, everything is booked. I called a private campground, and had a great chat with the owner. She said, “Oh, it’s a big deal.” There’s apparently a big rodeo going on at the same time, and lots of local pride for the parade.

We were able to strike a deal with a space, and I am relieved! And excited to see the hubbub over the rodeo and arts fair.

Perhaps I need to make some cowboy and cowgirl pieces. Barrel Races, here we come.