Outdoor markets in the rain?

[Dollystar]

Hi everyone,

I'm relatively new to outdoor market stalls and have one booked for this Saturday and there's a good chance of rain. I have some stuff pinned to notice boards and other busts and displays but how do you keep everything dry? The stall has a roof which overhangs the table front and back but you know what the rain is like and doesn't always fall straight down! Does anyone have any suggestions/advice? I'd hate for things to get ruined.

Thanks in advance

Nic

[Daesul]

Tesco used to sell a pack of 3 clear plastic large dustsheets in their home decorating section. I think they only cost a couple of pounds. they're easy to just unfold and throw over your displays if the rain suddenly comes down.

[beadsbydesign]

You name the weather and I've done it! wind, rain , snow, blizzards, hurricanes ... not got much experience of the sun though because for some reason South Cave Farmers Market is always wet, windy and dull!

Are you on the end of a run? If so put plastic sheeting taught over the side of the stall (I've even seen cling film used)
You'll have to see how the rain is falling and move your display out of the rain. Eg. if it's coming in the front set your display back a bit.

I've also found it useful to take a tarp to put on the floor under your boxes etc to keep them dry.

make sure your shoes don't leak and keep smiling!

[Dollystar]

Thanks for the advice. I bought some plastic dust sheets so now I'm ready for the worst case scenario. I've looked out my comfy shoes and am prepared to smile!

I'm loving this forum, it's so useful and you're all so friendly.

Thanks

Nic

[EmilyRichard]

Be careful of busts and things blowing over - I had a mirror at one and a gust came along and it toppled over and smashed - eeek!! (7 years bad luck for me...!!)

Things pinned to boards is a good idea. Wind is almost worse than rain cos your work can fly away forever!
Good luck!
Emily

[AnnieAnna]

Yes, make sure your table is well back under the roof. Rain doesn't always fall vertically. Wind and rain usually come together. I can't decide which is worse. The wind can blow the sides of your tent into your displays knocking them over. Watch out for drips. If you have a slopey roof the water quickly collects into a giant puddle - in it. So you need a rain coat and a long pokey thing. Be IN the tent when you poke the puddle. And it will pour out where your customers stand...or not...it might decide to tip over the sides. If you print out your tickets and business cards on your computer the ink will run. I got a laminator for my birthday and laminate my price tags and signs. It works a treat. B&Q do bags of giant plastic dust sheets. Take something to clip them to the table legs, or to weigh them down. I've seen them blow away. Mind you I've seen whole stalls blow away - hence our comments on wind being worse. Or have everything in plastic boxes with see through lids - but it doesn't look nice.
Rain always stops and you might find everything dries out - hooray. If you have to pack up wet be prepared to have everything draped over the house for a couple of days until it's bone dry. NEVER put anything away damp. Mould is the enemy.
I'm trying to think of a cheerful way of signing off. Can't. Don't like rain....
AnnieAnna

[cosmic grammie]

"Walls" for your tent are invaluable, lik the EZ-up canopies...though pricey. Extra weights for their hems might behoove you. Also, plastic tubs under the table, if you need to load up your merch real fast.

I tie ribbon or colored string clean around the table - front to back, between the table legs,towards either. set of legs and in the middle.....I don't use terribly long table covers, so it doesn't pull them up much...this keeps them from billowing up much, or taking off, in windy weather.

We have a lot of round disk weights from an old rusty weight press bench set
and they are really handy for tying down the tent...easier to carry increments from the car, and have extras under the tables for emergencies.

Also, go to you favorite hardware store (you may call them something else over there) and take a look at the myriad styles of clamps...VERY handy gadgets...

[Equus Leather]

How did you get on, did it rain?

[Dollystar]

Sorry I meant to reply to this after the "event"! It didn't rain during the day. It was drizzling when I left my house but by the time I got there (almost an hour away) the ground was just damp and the skies cleared and it turned into a lovely day. (and a profitable one too ;))

The next one is in December where I'm sure I may need all the invaluable advice I learned on this thread. At least I'll be prepared :D

[Daesul]

Glad it went well in the end.

I had sort of opposite the problem last week - my regular Sunday market is on one of the Suffolk Broads. It was a mega-high tide plus we'd had rain earlier in the week, and about 1.30 the water rose above the banks. We all had to pack up quick and go home, or we'd have been paddling!

[Lannibone]

Not sure how high peoples canopies are but it might be worth getting some fairly heavy duty clear polythene sheets, work out the width at which it needs to be cut so that it will finish roughly 6 feet off the ground (taller people will have to duck slightly, it's polythene it won't hurt them), attach it to the inside lip of the canopy and it will massively reduce the amount of rain that gets to your stall without having to cover things up so much.

Hope this helps ;p

[AnnieAnna]

My market stall is a metal frame making a 6 foot square cube. It was covered with plasic but I found that unweidly, unattractive and un Medieval Fair looking so I had a canvas cover made to my design - separate roof, separate sides but they all join up if you want them to and they are tied, not clipped to the frame.
It's absolutely brilliant because I can lift and manouver each bit (being a tiddly person). All this is beside the point but might help someone even if it's only to chop their plastic cover into pieces.

This Saturday is forcast heavy rain.
What I need is a solution to how to attach awnings. Being block shaped the rain drips on my customers and any tables I have put up along the outside sides of my stall. If it was a tent I would just lift up the sides and prop then up with poles and guy ropes but this stall is for going up on pavements and roads so I need a way of cantilevering extra, slopey, roofy things out. Any ideas?

AnnieAnna
You might ask why am I trying to trade in the rain. I'm asking myself that too.....:confused: but I got a deal for doing 4 markets in a row.