Ever heard of this approach?

[cosmic grammie]

The market for this weekend is a big one so maybe it's common for big markets to do this - we got a number (64) and we have to show up at 7:00 Sat. morning, ready to go, and wait to see if our number gets called to fill a cancellation...golly Bob howdy, if there are 20 cancellations, we still wouldn't get to have a booth - it sounds like a lot of trouble for naught! And it's going to be really nice weather, so I doubt there would be many cancellations....

[BlossomCrafts]

Sounds wierd to me. What are the chances of so many cancellations unless the weather is appalling. I'd be looking elsewhere. If you do go I hope you get a stall. If not enjoy a rest day and hope for something better.

[AnnieAnna]

Our ordinary markets do - come early and queue up. Regulars get their favourite spots first then newcomers get allocated a space if there is one.
It sounds a bit like that but on a crazy scale.
AnnieAnna

[Plum]

I'd do somethinh else if I were you - what are the chances of there being 20 cancellations?

[cosmic grammie]

Indeed, or 64....

If about 40 people ahead of us decide it's not worth it, we'd be farther up in the line, but still...well, my husband wants to try it just to see what it's like - and whether we should lease a year long booth there in January - then you let other people lease it from you if you can't be there one month...

It's only 18 miles away, it's VERY well known and attended...so I guess we should give it a try and see whether we think it would be a good venue for us. Ugh.

[silvermaid]

If you're not doing anything else on Saturday at 7am then I think it's a good idea to go along, you never know, especially as it could be a 'try before you buy'.
If you don't get in you have only wasted an hour or so.

Melanie

[Aviya Glass]

Does 64 mean they call you in chronological order?
If so sounds like a waste of time but if you are 64 and they will call numbers randomly to keep a mix of stalls then you are in with a chance IFSWIM.
If it's something you really want to do then go for it and I hope you get called! :D

Just thought of something else...... perhaps you could ask how many stalls there are and what % cancel on average to get an idea of how much of a chance you stand of getting in

[cosmic grammie]

Apparently you can't just turn on your cell phone alarm, you have to set it for Saturday...I had it turned on for 5:00 a.m., but here it is 6:37 and we just got up...my husband did not set his cell alarm at all...

I had no idea you had to set the day as well as the time...anyway, we cannot get to this market by 7:00...even though we're all loaded up...

OH WELL. At least we weren't paid and set. Live and learn. There's still a market we can do next weekend if there's a vacancy.

Oh, and we were actually 67th in line, and my husband says it was chronological order...so I am really rather relieved we overslept. And this means we'll have more merchandise for the Christmas market for Dec. we are already in for....

[nettie]

Did you go along for a look anyway? That 'leasing your stall out if you're not able to make it' is a really good option. Yea I agree, if it had been a sort of bingo random number calling sort of thing then you may have had a look in but chronologically not so, especially if the weather was good too. If it's well known and a crowd go to it it sounds worthwhile :)

[cosmic grammie]

It was very busy - lots of shoppers...it didn't really strike us as a place we could sell our stuff, but you never know until you try.

Here's their photo gallery -

http://www.shopmarketdays.com/shopping_gallery.htm

[nettie]

Wow, what a place! Looks fab!!

[cosmic grammie]

This is where we hope to go next weekend...

http://www.mainstreetinboerne.com/boerne-market-days-information.htm

and maybe even their Weihnachts Fest Parade where they have arts and crafts booths...

http://www.mainstreetinboerne.com/weihnachts-fest-parade-boerne-tx.htm

And this is where we'll be in December - we were there in what...August? That's where my husband sold his first guitar - it is an old Czech community and has a rockin' Music Hall...

http://www.gruenemarketdays.com/Pictures.htm

[abbybeads]

Out of interest where was the market.
Regards
Ron

[greannancrafts]

We have a similar thing over here, until you can get a permanent site you go as a "casual" - you get there 6.00am and queue to see if someone doesn't turn up.

I did one market like this for nearly 18 months before I got my permanent pitch, which I have now bought - so for one day a week I own this little bit (20ft x 20ft) of the town.

Jane

[cosmic grammie]

Out of interest where was the market.
Regards
Ron

Wimberley, in the heart of the awesome Texas hill country.

[JolieArt]

St. George's Market in Belfast does this. They call it "Casual Trading" and apparently, it works quite well. I don't know how many casual traders they have, but it works on the assumption that each week some regular traders will not come and only some of the casual traders on the list will come, so even someone further down the list has potential to get a stall.

[pablozzo]

really weird way of managing ...

[AnnieAnna]

It seems quite common practise with traditional English Markets.
New traders just have to turn up and hang around until the regulars have claimed their spots then the market manager allocates the new people their spot.
It has it's advantages. The 'modern' markets make you pay in advance so if you are ill or it's wild weather and you'd rather stay in bed you loose your money. The old way, you just loose a bit of sleep.
AnnieAnna