Plymouth MI Art in the Park, July 10-12, 2009

The trip through Chicago was finally quick AND enjoyable! Someone had mentioned using I-294 to go around town and I gave it a try. I should really check how much the tolls were on my I-Pass, but, I have a feeling it won't matter. When I hit Ohare, the big info sign said it was 45 minutes to downtown. I was actually though Chicago and to the Indiana Turnpike in 45 minutes, so, I think this will be my new route through for Michigan craft shows when I have to leave on Thursday or Friday mornings or afternoon!


This was my last chance to do really, really well in Michigan and I was so ready for a great show. I got it!! Yippee!!!

Plymouth is about a half hour west of Detroit. The town is a typical conservative Midwestern town with apparently a stable economic base and lots of people who support community events. You would not expect this to be a bedroom community of a city where the automotive industry rules...well, used to rule. For those of you in Florida, it reminds me of Winter Park. Nice shops, nice restaurants and lots of people out and about.

I really like how this show was set up. (I am the second tent from the left in the above pic and I took this early Sunday morning before we opened) The volunteers had us off the entry street and to our booth in a matter of minutes. When it appeared that my booth was only about 5 feet across (usually they are 10 feet by 10 feet), the promotor was on site and figuring things out in a couple of minutes. I was really lucky with my neighbors--the blackboard box couple again and my friend from Florida, Linda on the other side. When I asked about ice for the food vendors one of the volunteers made a note to ask and low and behold an ice man came by each day of the show to see how much more I needed. That was awesome!

Across the street we had NO vendors which is great...the people walking on the street have only YOU to look at and it usually is a good thing. This show was no exception. We did have two great restaurants across the street--a great Thai place (dinner on Friday) and a wine bar called "Grape Expectations" (dinner on Saturday and great homemade Sangria)!!! LOL The restaurants served as a good landmark for customers who were telling friends about us or going to come back and buy from us later. Almost everyone who said they were coming back, did!

The only downside I can think of (and even that turned out ok) was that the local banks would not give change to non-customers. Hmmmm. With all the twenty dollar bills I was receiving on Friday I was out of change cash by noon. So, I hit the local savings bank behind my booth and was told that no local banks would give me change. I pleaded--after all my customers were their customers! When the teller said no again, I asked her to please check with her manager. She came back a few minutes later with good news...and asked me to please not tell any of the other crafters they had done it! Believe me--it was our little secret!

Oh, I just thought of something else that was an inconvenience...the location of the vendor parking was several blocks away. My friend Linda said it must have been a mile away, but it was more like 6 blocks...past big, beautiful, nicely landscaped homes!! I enjoyed the walk each morning from the van (I was camping again), but, if you had to bring a lot to the show each morning, you definitely would need to make a stop at your tent before parking.

Linda and I discovered a great store, Meijers, on one of the evenings we finished at 6pm. It has everything that Walmart Supercenters have but with the convenience of being located where your grocery store is! I needed paper packaging stuff, toiletries and grocery stuff, Linda needed glassware and groceries, and we both found everything we needed! Nice store with great prices and NO WALMART necessary. LOL Oh, we also found gas for $2.19 all over the place. That was the cheapest I have seen since Georgia. Maybe the price is coming down all over, cross fingers.

So, the show was great, the company was exceptional and my cash box was FULL once again! LOL Plymouth's Art in the Park will definitely be on my to-do list for coming years!