Indio Tamale Festival
Indio Tamale Festival, Indio, CA Dates: Saturday and Sunday, December 3-4, 2011 (Always the 1st weekend in December!)
Hours: 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday
Location: Downtown Indio The Festival is between Highway 111 and Indio Boulevard and fills-in the streets of Miles, Towne, Smurr & Requa.
Weather: 79 Degrees, Sunny Days; 40 Degrees, Cool Evenings
IMPORTANT: I have written a book about our experiences selling at Street Fairs, festivals, A&C Shows, fairs, flea markets. I know that you will really find reading it quite enjoyable and you'll be able to relate to a lot of things that I describe. Having to endure 71 mph winds, heavy rains, floods, lying and cheating promoters. You'll love it. Only $14.95. Street Fairs for profit, fun and madness
It all started in 1992 with an idea by Dave Hernandez, a member of the Downtown Indio Merch
ants Association. The rich heritage of the tamale, consistent community support and hard working tamale makers have created the festival's tremendous success. Recently, the Food Network-TV ranked the Indio International Tamale Festival in the top 10 "All-American Food Festivals" in the nation!Festival's Guinness World Records: The World's largest Tamale-over 1 foot in diameter and 40 feet in length, Dec. 4, 1999. The World's largest tamale festival-with 120,000 in attendance, Dec. 2-3, 2000.The weather is pretty good in Indio this time of year, but nights are a little cooler. Booths are spread along several streets. Lots of tamales and they all sell for the same price. Booth fees are a bit high and overpriced. Commercial goes for $475 and if you are staying in a motel, your expenses end up quite high. Very risky for this economy. Arts and Crafts spaces go for $475
Showing posts with label Festival. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Festival. Show all posts
Saturday, December 3, 2011
Tuesday, November 29, 2011
Here's an excerpt from my book Street Fairs for profit, fun and madness on page 72 where I tell about an experience I had trying to purchase lemonade at a store in Mt. Shasta City, CA. The book has just been published and sells for $14.95
Chapter 7
Mt. Shasta City and the Fourth of July Celebration
Looking for Lemonade
It wasn’t a real scorcher up there in Mt. Shasta in 2009. We have encountered temperatures up around
110 in past years. One day, after closing up at 6:00pm, we stopped by a
grocery store in Mount Shasta City to pick up more drinks for that night and
the following day. I have a real thirst
for lemonade and I find it quite refreshing, especially in hot weather. It’s much better than canned soda’s. I went
inside the store and headed for the back where they had the drinks. I looked
for some lemonade (ready-made from the frig area. Minute Maid or Paul Newman’s Virgin Lemonade)
would be fine, but I couldn't locate any. I asked one of the employees
where the lemonade was located. I saw at least 50 brands of Orange Juice.
Really!
What do they do with the stuff?
You think I'm kidding about that? Seriously, there had to be at
least 50 different OJ's in there. I have never seen a selection like that
before. Anyhow, absolutely nooooo
lemonade. He said that they had none and he was hoping that the truck would
bring some tomorrow. That’s nice. I
looked at him. "I'm not waiting until tomorrow." This
isn’t one of those places where you wait in line for days to get tickets for a
big event or you are trying to pick up a new game machine or an I-Phone. Can
you imagine 200 people standing in line at 5:00AM waiting for the place to open
so they can get some lemonade? Only two per customer please. Oh
man. I gotta go to the bathroom; can you hold my spot for me? Hey dude,
back of the line, I've been here since yesterday morning.
Monday, November 28, 2011
Wind, rain and snow in the
Sierra’s in late May? You have got to be kidding me. Oh, lucky me.
It was
Thursday, May 22, 2008 and we were on our way to South Lake Tahoe from the Bay
Area for an Arts and Crafts show at Miller’s Y, located at the junction of
Highways 50 and 89.
Note:
Shows at Miller’s Y have been discontinued due to reconstruction in that
area. The property was sold and the new
owners had the buildings demolished.
Highway 50
is the main highway stretching approximately 110 miles from Sacramento up to
and through Lake Tahoe. This picturesque road climbs in elevation to around 8,000
feet at the summit.
As we were
driving up Highway 50, we approached the community of Cameron Park and began to
climb in altitude. I was in the right
hand lane of the highway and there was a large semi-truck in front of me
struggling to make it up the hill.
Traffic was light and there were no vehicles on the left side of me, so
I turned on my signal and began moving over.
But just as I began passing the slow moving truck, a huge sheet of plywood suddenly appeared out
of nowhere and came flying at us from the left side and smacked into the my
van. It caromed off the left front side
and flew up and went completely over our van.
Unbelievable. We never saw where it came from. I looked all around me and there were no
other vehicles around, except for us and the truck. Luckily it didn’t go through our windshield.
It would be tough running around without a head. My wife immediately looked up. “What was that?” she asked me. “I don’t know, it looked like a piece of
plywood” I told her as I glanced over to the right side and looked into my side
view mirror. I could not see the board
anyplace. Most certainly it didn’t come off the big rig since the container was
fully enclosed.
That was a very rough weekend in Lake Tahoe as we were vendors at an arts and crafts shiow there. To read more about this and other adventures contained in my book Street Fairs for profit, fun and madness just click on the link. You'll love it.
Saturday, August 28, 2010
2010 Manteca Pumpkin Fair
This years Pumpkin Fair will be held on October 2-3. The annual Pumpkin Fair presented by the Manteca Sunrise Kiwanis, will be held on the first full Saturday and Sunday of October in downtown Manteca from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. The Street Fair portion complete with pumpkin patch, kids zone, truck show, car show, motorcycle run, three stages and over 150 vendors will once again be located in downtown Manteca near Library Park.IMPORTANT: I have written a book about our experiences selling at Street Fairs, festivals, A&C Shows, fairs, flea markets. I know that you will really find reading it quite enjoyable and you'll be able to relate to a lot of things that I describe. Having to endure 71 mph winds, heavy rains, floods, lying and cheating promoters. You'll love it. Only $14.95. Street Fairs for profit, fun and madness
2009 REVIEW: Once again, the organizers put on a good event as they always do. The people came out but they did not buy. Great weather; rained last year. Lots of vendors and plenty of food. But the people just did not buy. They had no money. They all traded in their clunkers and bought new wheels and now they got their cars repossessed. Some of them just walked around and got fatter while others socialized or played with vendor's items.
Click here to read remainder of review.
There are many reviews along with loads of information on the Starving Vendors website. I am currently writing a book about our exploits, experiences and adventures encountered during out 17 years selling at festivals, fairs, A&C Shows, etc. You can sign up to be notified when it comes out.
Monday, July 5, 2010
Foster City Lions Club Misses the Boat
Foster City 4th of July Festival, Foster City, CA
We were told by Phyliss Moore, the President of the Lion's Club that we would not be allowed to drive our vehicles close to our spaces to unload and load our things. We would have to cart our things (canopies, grids, boxes, merchandise, etc.) in and out 75 yards to and from our vehicles parked on the curb. We managed to get there early Sunday morning and drive up to our space to unload.
However, we would need people to help us haul our stuff out and she promised me that she would have loads of kid's to help when we closed down and I took her word for it, but doubted it. The show ended at 5:00 and we had begun packing around 4:30. One of my friend's had found her and was able to get some kid's to help him haul out. After he was finished, he talked to Phyliss Moore and explained to her that my wife (disabled) and I (trouble walking and lifting things) would need help. She replied "I am off duty."
I went looking for her and she told me that because I wasn't ready at 5:00, I would get no help. Nobody told me that. The papers said that the show ends at 5:00 and we were to be out of there at 6:30. Nothing about being ready at 5:00. She was terrible. She began walking away from me and I chased after her. I asked her again for help and she told me that everybody was busy and I would have to wait. She was very snotty over this. One of the other sane Lion's Club members stepped in and said that he would get people to help me and that he did, thankfully. However, this lady had told me that she would have 'loads of kids' to help me and was reneging on this. I had explicitly explained concern for my wife and I, telling her that we had health problems. Furthermore, when all of us applied for this event, we were not told that we would have to haul our stuff in and out until we had received paperwork and only by looking at the map, did I determine that it was a long ways to the booth and a phone call to her brought me the bad news that we would have to haul in. Try to get vendor's for your show next year, butthead!!! Such abusiveness toward vendors and crippled people. No mercy with this woman. I AM OFF DUTY. Yah, right. And you are President of the Foster City Lions Club. What a joke. OFF DUTY. I think we might be able to do that.
Gosh, what does on between the scenes of these events. People would be shocked to hear what we have to go through. You can read my story about this event on my famous web site:
Starving Vendors
Better yet, I hope you get to read my book which I am writing about exploits at these festivals and how difficult it is to survive. Hopefully, coming out in October. Keep you posted on the Starving Vendors website
We were told by Phyliss Moore, the President of the Lion's Club that we would not be allowed to drive our vehicles close to our spaces to unload and load our things. We would have to cart our things (canopies, grids, boxes, merchandise, etc.) in and out 75 yards to and from our vehicles parked on the curb. We managed to get there early Sunday morning and drive up to our space to unload.
However, we would need people to help us haul our stuff out and she promised me that she would have loads of kid's to help when we closed down and I took her word for it, but doubted it. The show ended at 5:00 and we had begun packing around 4:30. One of my friend's had found her and was able to get some kid's to help him haul out. After he was finished, he talked to Phyliss Moore and explained to her that my wife (disabled) and I (trouble walking and lifting things) would need help. She replied "I am off duty."
I went looking for her and she told me that because I wasn't ready at 5:00, I would get no help. Nobody told me that. The papers said that the show ends at 5:00 and we were to be out of there at 6:30. Nothing about being ready at 5:00. She was terrible. She began walking away from me and I chased after her. I asked her again for help and she told me that everybody was busy and I would have to wait. She was very snotty over this. One of the other sane Lion's Club members stepped in and said that he would get people to help me and that he did, thankfully. However, this lady had told me that she would have 'loads of kids' to help me and was reneging on this. I had explicitly explained concern for my wife and I, telling her that we had health problems. Furthermore, when all of us applied for this event, we were not told that we would have to haul our stuff in and out until we had received paperwork and only by looking at the map, did I determine that it was a long ways to the booth and a phone call to her brought me the bad news that we would have to haul in. Try to get vendor's for your show next year, butthead!!! Such abusiveness toward vendors and crippled people. No mercy with this woman. I AM OFF DUTY. Yah, right. And you are President of the Foster City Lions Club. What a joke. OFF DUTY. I think we might be able to do that.
Gosh, what does on between the scenes of these events. People would be shocked to hear what we have to go through. You can read my story about this event on my famous web site:
Starving Vendors
Better yet, I hope you get to read my book which I am writing about exploits at these festivals and how difficult it is to survive. Hopefully, coming out in October. Keep you posted on the Starving Vendors website
Tuesday, June 29, 2010
Foster City 4th of July Festival
Return to Foster City. We shall be returning to the 4th of July Festival there after a six-year absence. I hope that it is as nice as it was back then. They have a number of vendor and food booths along with entertainment and fireworks. One of the few places around that do provide fireworks.
I am highly disappointed that we will have to haul in our things. We have a canopy,16 grids, 6 heavy buckets and around 15 sacks and numerous other things we need to set up. We are 60 year's old and this is quite difficult for us. Year's ago we were located alongside the curb and there was no problem. I guess that if I would have known this beforehand, than we would not have signed up. Seems like a completely different show. Family health problems are preventing us from going to Mt Shasta where we have been for the past 6 years ago. You think that we want to haul our stuff in with our health problems. Disgusting. I am certain other vendor's do not like this also. Please be sure to check out my website Starving Vendors for more info on shows and other things.
I am highly disappointed that we will have to haul in our things. We have a canopy,16 grids, 6 heavy buckets and around 15 sacks and numerous other things we need to set up. We are 60 year's old and this is quite difficult for us. Year's ago we were located alongside the curb and there was no problem. I guess that if I would have known this beforehand, than we would not have signed up. Seems like a completely different show. Family health problems are preventing us from going to Mt Shasta where we have been for the past 6 years ago. You think that we want to haul our stuff in with our health problems. Disgusting. I am certain other vendor's do not like this also. Please be sure to check out my website Starving Vendors for more info on shows and other things.
Monday, July 27, 2009
2009 Jefferson County Fair
Jefferson County Fair, Madras, OR July 22-25
Absolutely the worst County Fair we have ever sold at. Our vendor booths were located in an obscure area of the fairgrounds. Grass field in front of us had many droppings from the cow family. The public could care less about buying from the vendor.
Very poor lighting in our area and extremely bad accessability for the visitors. Spoke to Sandy Foreman who was in charge of the vendors and told me that she would 'get back to me that afternoon.' Never did. Could care less. They got their money from us. Put the 6 vendors in a corner and forget about us. Vendors, do not even think about doing this event. The Worst.
Please click here to read more about the Jefferson County Fair
Visit our Vendor Forum
Absolutely the worst County Fair we have ever sold at. Our vendor booths were located in an obscure area of the fairgrounds. Grass field in front of us had many droppings from the cow family. The public could care less about buying from the vendor.
Very poor lighting in our area and extremely bad accessability for the visitors. Spoke to Sandy Foreman who was in charge of the vendors and told me that she would 'get back to me that afternoon.' Never did. Could care less. They got their money from us. Put the 6 vendors in a corner and forget about us. Vendors, do not even think about doing this event. The Worst.
Please click here to read more about the Jefferson County Fair
Visit our Vendor Forum
Thursday, March 12, 2009
Rinconada Hills Center Bazaar - Los Gatos, CA
Ronconada Hills Center Bazaar. Saturday, March 28 from 9AM-4PM. I guess this is a new location for this promoter's show and is held the last Saturday of the month from 9AM-4PM. Located at 1500 Pollard Road at the shopping center. click here for more info. Alpha Zeta Events. Click on the 'poster' to see larger image.
Monday, March 9, 2009
International Lao New Year Festival 2009
2009 INTERNATIONAL LAO NEW YEARS FESTIVALCivic Center Plaza, San Francisco, CA
Saturday, April 11, 200 910 AM - 5 PM all day - free event
Civic Center Plaza (link to googlemaps)between Asian Art Museum and City Hall San Francisco, California.
vendors: • Main Entrance Booths $1,500• Food Booths $1,200 2nd booth $600 (does not include health and food permits from City of San Francisco) • Businesses $900 • Arts/crafts/textiles $700
• Non-profits/public service $350
Buddha Image Procession and Parade
Suukhwan/Baci New Year Welcoming Ceremony
“Buffalo Roaming” - Story Writing on Life Size Herd of Water Buffalos
Kato Lao Championship Demonstration
Tam Maak Huung/Green Papaya Salad Contest
Kite Making and Kite Flying
New Year Water Splashing Activities
Khene Music with Master Bounseung Synanonh
Lam Folk songs with Mr. Khamta Mounisay
Jonny Olsen
Traditional Music and Dance Performances
click here to see program listing
Tuesday, January 6, 2009
Sacramento Jazz Jubilee/Festival
36th Annual Sacramento Jazz Jubilee/Festival, Memorial Day Weekend, May 22-25, 2009. Several venues in Old Sacramento and the Convention Center.
The 2009 Sacramento Jazz Festival kicks off with a concert by the world-famous Count Basie Orchestra on Thursday evening, May 21st at the Radisson Hotel. The Count Basie Orchestra of today consists of 18 musicians who make this American Institution swing as powerfully as it ever has. The Basie orchestra has won every respected jazz poll in the world at least once, is in demand for world tours and recordings, and continues to accumulate awards and special recognition.
Featured Bands: Tom Rigney and Flambeau Cornet Chop Suey Mumbo Gumbo
Bill Allred's Classic Jazz Band Royal Society Jazz Orchestra Zydeco Flames
Mick Martin´s Blues Rockers BED
And 600 other performances
The 2009 Sacramento Jazz Festival kicks off with a concert by the world-famous Count Basie Orchestra on Thursday evening, May 21st at the Radisson Hotel. The Count Basie Orchestra of today consists of 18 musicians who make this American Institution swing as powerfully as it ever has. The Basie orchestra has won every respected jazz poll in the world at least once, is in demand for world tours and recordings, and continues to accumulate awards and special recognition.
Featured Bands: Tom Rigney and Flambeau Cornet Chop Suey Mumbo Gumbo
Bill Allred's Classic Jazz Band Royal Society Jazz Orchestra Zydeco Flames
Mick Martin´s Blues Rockers BED
And 600 other performances
Monday, December 29, 2008
Bite of Seattle
July 17-18-19, 2009 at Seattle Center, Seattle, WA. FESTIVAL HOURS: Friday & Saturday 11 a.m. - 9 p.m.Sunday 11 a.m. - 8 p.m. www.biteofseattle.com vendorapplication Vendor spaces are $400.
Bite of Seattle Serves up the Food and Fun! The 27th annual Comcast Bite of Seattle presented by Emerald Queen Casino surpassed records and stretched waistbands with a successful sensory overload of sights, sounds and smells this past weekend at Seattle Center. The event attracted 500,000 visitors and provided the chance to relax and savor the summer sun at the Northwest’s premier food festival. Read the full story here.
Sounds like a nice event to try many different foods. We thought about doing this festival several years ago. If you have ever been a vendor at this event, let me know how it went. We sell necklaces, wrap-skirts and a lot more. (www.DandLCREATIONS.com) They get several hundred thousand people for this, but I really didn't feel as though we would get very much business at a festival where people came mainly to eat, etc. We make our yearly trip to Oregon during this time to do the Coos County Fair and other Fairs and we were considering extending our journey into WA. You can find out about other events and read our reviews of shows we have done at Starving Vendors.
Bite of Seattle Serves up the Food and Fun! The 27th annual Comcast Bite of Seattle presented by Emerald Queen Casino surpassed records and stretched waistbands with a successful sensory overload of sights, sounds and smells this past weekend at Seattle Center. The event attracted 500,000 visitors and provided the chance to relax and savor the summer sun at the Northwest’s premier food festival. Read the full story here.
Sounds like a nice event to try many different foods. We thought about doing this festival several years ago. If you have ever been a vendor at this event, let me know how it went. We sell necklaces, wrap-skirts and a lot more. (www.DandLCREATIONS.com) They get several hundred thousand people for this, but I really didn't feel as though we would get very much business at a festival where people came mainly to eat, etc. We make our yearly trip to Oregon during this time to do the Coos County Fair and other Fairs and we were considering extending our journey into WA. You can find out about other events and read our reviews of shows we have done at Starving Vendors.
Wednesday, December 24, 2008
European Festivals 2009
Enjoy one of the many festivals in Europe. Take a look at European Festivals of 2009. The page is under construction, but still helpful.
Januuary 2009
Paris Grand Parade FRANCE Jan 21-Feb 1 American marching bands, European performers from Britain, Poland and Belgium.
February 2009
Viareggio Carnival ITALY Feb 8, 15, 22, 24 and Mar 1
In n In 1873 some of the locals organized a Sunday, which was quite different than the typical Sunday, starting a procession of floats which travelled up and down the main street of the city. On that occasion a masked protest was also organized by a number of citizens, as they were forced to pay too many taxes and as a result the chief tax collector was certainly made fun of!! The parade was liked alot not only by the patrons but also by the citizens and the idea of making floats that interpreted humour and disatisfaction of the people came about in that year.
Nice Carnival, FRANCE Feb 13 - Mar 1 The first international carnival celebration in France and is the top winter event on the French Riviera.
February 14-24 ITALY Venice Carnival
Feb 15-25 SPAIN Sitges Carnival
Feb 19-25 GERMANY Cologne Carnival
Feb 21-25 GERMANY Dusseldorf Carnival
Feb 21-24 TALY Ivrea Carnival,
Feb 22-24 BELGIUM Binche Carnival
Januuary 2009
Paris Grand Parade FRANCE Jan 21-Feb 1 American marching bands, European performers from Britain, Poland and Belgium.
February 2009
Viareggio Carnival ITALY Feb 8, 15, 22, 24 and Mar 1
In n In 1873 some of the locals organized a Sunday, which was quite different than the typical Sunday, starting a procession of floats which travelled up and down the main street of the city. On that occasion a masked protest was also organized by a number of citizens, as they were forced to pay too many taxes and as a result the chief tax collector was certainly made fun of!! The parade was liked alot not only by the patrons but also by the citizens and the idea of making floats that interpreted humour and disatisfaction of the people came about in that year.
Nice Carnival, FRANCE Feb 13 - Mar 1 The first international carnival celebration in France and is the top winter event on the French Riviera.
February 14-24 ITALY Venice Carnival
Feb 15-25 SPAIN Sitges Carnival
Feb 19-25 GERMANY Cologne Carnival
Feb 21-25 GERMANY Dusseldorf Carnival
Feb 21-24 TALY Ivrea Carnival,
Feb 22-24 BELGIUM Binche Carnival
Monday, December 8, 2008
Glendale Chocolate Affair
Glendale Chocolate Affair. Vendor Applications I was just looking through a number of event listings on a website and I noticed that vendors are forced to pay $60 for a 'background check fee.' They are charging $450.00 for an Arts and Crafts booth...at least they supply the booth, but that, my friends is pretty darn high, especially in this life and times.
Let's dwell on that $60 fee for a background check for a few seconds. I am certain that vendors will have to provide their SSN, Drivers License Number and probably some other material for them to run a trace on. Now, here ya go. We have somebody paying $475 for a 10x10 spot to sell their artwork, Do you think that somebody selling their lovely artwork at this show should be subjected to having a police check on them looking for warrants, etc. Do you really think these people are criminals. Only reason these people are not objecting is that they need to make money and moreso, enjoy displaying their artwork for people to see.
These individuals are being treated like criminals. A year ago, I (and several other vendors) had to shell out $25 for a 'police permit' which is the same thing and I felt that my rights were violated. Seriously, do they consider vendors to be criminals? That would piss me off if I was extorted like that for $60 in order to run a background check on me.
I know for darn sure this does not cost $60 and I find this to be a slap in the face of vendors. What are they doing.....feeding the person a nice steak dinner while that person sits at his computer and enters the person's name into some software. They do not have the right to force vendors to fork over the $60. Seems to me that the promoters of this event are the real criminals. I have nothing to do with this event, but I read about it and I am perturbed and I really frown over things like this. Vendors should voice their disapproval over this and demand their $60 money back. Sorry. Not right by any standards. Heck, these people could get away with charging vendors a $50 bathroom /porta pottie fee and get away with it.
Let's dwell on that $60 fee for a background check for a few seconds. I am certain that vendors will have to provide their SSN, Drivers License Number and probably some other material for them to run a trace on. Now, here ya go. We have somebody paying $475 for a 10x10 spot to sell their artwork, Do you think that somebody selling their lovely artwork at this show should be subjected to having a police check on them looking for warrants, etc. Do you really think these people are criminals. Only reason these people are not objecting is that they need to make money and moreso, enjoy displaying their artwork for people to see.
These individuals are being treated like criminals. A year ago, I (and several other vendors) had to shell out $25 for a 'police permit' which is the same thing and I felt that my rights were violated. Seriously, do they consider vendors to be criminals? That would piss me off if I was extorted like that for $60 in order to run a background check on me.
I know for darn sure this does not cost $60 and I find this to be a slap in the face of vendors. What are they doing.....feeding the person a nice steak dinner while that person sits at his computer and enters the person's name into some software. They do not have the right to force vendors to fork over the $60. Seems to me that the promoters of this event are the real criminals. I have nothing to do with this event, but I read about it and I am perturbed and I really frown over things like this. Vendors should voice their disapproval over this and demand their $60 money back. Sorry. Not right by any standards. Heck, these people could get away with charging vendors a $50 bathroom /porta pottie fee and get away with it.
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