Surviving your first pop-up, farmer's market, or holiday market

As some of you may know, I'm the owner of Muliebrity, where I sell my handmade art and decor pieces. Previously branded as Shutterhaus (Studio & Photo), I attended well over 100 shows between 2020-2023 and I'm going to share with you everything I learned.


First things first, let's make sure your event is legit. How did you hear about the event? How are they asking for your payment? How much information is there online about this event? How much information about this event were you provided? Tons of scams hinge on you not doing the research before paying an event fee so protect yourself before you commit your hard-earned money. At a minimum, ensure that:

  1. the event is being promoted
  2. the webpage and event host's page are legit (have real followers, have existed longer than a few months, have tagged photos or mutual friends, etc)
  3. your event host has provided you with load-in information that includes parking, food, duration of set up and break down, advertising and flyers, and booth size information


Once you feel secure in your event and/or have made contact with your trusted event host it's time to prepare. Regardless of whether you're inside or outside, you'll most likely always need to provide your own table, tablecloth, and chair (though some events can supply so don't hesitate to ask!). I highly recommend trying to leave 1 foot of space for you to ensure you have a point of entry/exit to your booth (for example: your space is 7x7 and you bring a 6-foot table). Spaces or booths can be measured a few different ways and there are a wide variety of "standard" setups including but not limited to 1-4 clothing racks, 10x10 spots, 7x6 spots, 4-6 ft tables, and more. For your tablecloth, ensure you either have one for each table size or one large enough to fit all your tables. Please, please, do yourself a favor and don't skimp on this one--you want your set up to look professional and intentional so, pro tip* get a second sheet to go under your table cloth to ensure the underside of your table is completely covered and out of view. Why? This helps the focus stay on your product and gives you a sleek, finished look...plus, you can better utilize that space for storage and snacks. Thrifting is a great way to get furniture for your setup without breaking the bank or buying new.


**Ensure you know what taxes (county, city, state, sales etc) you'll be responsible for as well as grabbing some event insurance (I use Thimble)**


You'll want a tablecloth that is nice but doesn't distract from your product. You can definitely get a personalized cloth with your logo on it if you're going all out! As far as a chair goes, it's nice to have one that folds up for easy transportation but pro tip* the higher, the better, so get yourself a director's chair if you can--i'll explain in a bit. If you're shooting for a basic setup then all you need is Venmo, $100 in small bills, a square reader (if possible), your product, and at least 1 piece of branded material (like a business card or sign). If you can advance your setup a bit, you'll find that the investment is always worth it. People want to feel like their at a store instead of the reality--which is shopping off a folding table, the more intentional your booth looks--the better.


Now speaking about advancing your setup, if you find yourself at an outdoor event then you'll need a more developed starter setup. Though not every spot that's outside is 10x10, it is considered standard. This allows vendors to set up a 10x10 tent and be protected from the elements. **You will need a hundred or more pounds in tent weights for your tent legs--don't forget this. You can make your own by pouring quikcrete into a PVC pipe and placing a hook into the top of the concrete. You can then use a cord to tie the weigh to each leg). If you don't want to splurge on tent walls then still know you'll need sun protection as the sun moves during the day. It's imperative to use sturdy storage containers for transport. I suggest plastic locking totes with handles and a folding wheeled cart for easy load-in and load-out.


If your setup stops here, then you've probably noticed your display can look kind of flat and doesn't stand out. That's because the display, when it's just a table and tablecloth, lacks dimension. We need to add texture and different heights to add interest and catch the eye. This is why I suggested a director's chair earlier--I suggest splurging on an extra tall table and to ensure you don't get hidden behind your display, you'll want a nice, tall chair, too. Having a tall table isn't enough, though, you'll want to add layers to your display by adding shelving or podium pieces to your table. Keeping at least a little of your display at eye level is a good choice. Picture yourself going through your sale: Do you have a way to take their money (ideally 2+ ways)? Are your items labeled with prices so people know what they are and what they cost (this needs to be yes)? Do you have the appropriate packaging for your clients to easily shop at the venue (this needs to be a yes, a bag with handles at the minimum)? *Pro tip: record and document the vendor fee and your gross earnings per each event for your own bookkeeping and knowledge.


Now that you have a thorough understanding of the basics, let's talk about ways to elevate your setup:

  1. Multiple tables and/or benches to create dimension
  2. Tabletop shelving
  3. Multiple branding artifacts (banners, signs, stickers, tags, business cards, QR codes for your socials)
  4. Gift wrapping options
  5. A trash can
  6. A charging block
  7. Battery-operated lights and/or string lights
  8. Battery operated fans
  9. Electric hand warms
  10. Tent walls
  11. Themed decor (venue, brand, theme, or holiday-specific)
  12. An e-mail marketing signup with an incentive

And last but not least, my vendor grab bag packing list:

  1. Charging block
  2. Water or Gatorade
  3. Pepto, tums, advil
  4. Charging cables
  5. Backup payment method
  6. Bandaids
  7. Bobby Pins
  8. Tampons
  9. Batteries
  10. Branded stickers
  11. Jacket
  12. Backup shoes
  13. Hair tie
  14. Snacks! Always snacks!
  15. Some form of self-protection like pepper spray, especially if I'm alone and/or breaking down my setup at night
  16. Pens
  17. Paper
  18. Extra Price Tags
  19. Carabiners
  20. Bungie Cords
  21. A backup table

Okay, information overload. I'm going to leave you with this for now, and remember--MAKE FRIENDS WITH YOUR MARKET NEIGHBORS! If you don't, you'll regret it when you find yourself wanting to ask them to watch your booth while you run to the bathroom. Have fun!