Crafters Say Show Attendance, Revenues Down

(Host) Rutland's annual Art in the Park and the Stowe Foliage Arts Festival will be held this weekend.  

These and other craft shows across Vermont generate millions for the state economy.  

But this year, organizers say there's a lot more uncertainty about attendance and revenue.

As VPR's Nina Keck reports.

(Keck) Manchester's Fall Art and Craft Festival usually attracts 8,000 to 10,000 visitors.   

Organizer Charlie Dooley says this past weekend, attendance was down 35 percent because of a one-two punch of bad weather and fallout from tropical storm Irene.     

(Dooley) "We were surprised however, with how many people actually came. So even without Irene, the attendance would have been lowered. However, we're certain that Irene still has a big impact especially in southern Vermont.    Numerous businesses have reported that sales and attendance and visitors are down by 30 or 40 percent and I think the lingering publicity of the extensive damage that happened in Vermont was a huge factor."

(Keck) According to the Vermont Department of Tourism, one to two people spending the day in Vermont typically spend about $110. If they stay overnight, their spending jumps to nearly $300.

Craft fair organizer Charlie Dooley is much more optimistic about this weekend's art and craft festival in Stowe, which he also directs.  Two-hundred vendors will be on hand and there's no rain in the forecast.   

He says the show's close proximity to Canada, which celebrates their Thanksgiving Holiday with a three-day weekend won't hurt either.  

In Rutland, Mary Mitiguy, executive director of the Chaffee Art Center, says vendors were more skittish about signing up for this weekend's Art in the Park.  

But she's excited to introduce many new vendors and with the sunny forecast, she's cautiously optimistic.

(Mitiguy) "I was at the welcome center in Fair Haven yesterday because we're putting a little exhibit in over there and it was hopping! And that was a Monday morning and I thought people are coming up to Vermont! And what I heard from one person was that I'm coming because we need to support you guys. And it was very encouraging. I know some people are concerned that attendance will be light and that's why some vendors didn't commit and didn't sign up. I think they will be sorry."

(Keck) One of those new artists is Stockbridge resident Deborah Goodwin.  Goodwin handcrafts colorful shaped pillows, which she sells on line through various vendors. Flooding caused by Irene cut off access to her home and studio for weeks. She says road crews just established limited access this week.

(Goodwin)  "And I still haven't been able to reestablish any wholesale shipping.  But I am going to be able to get my pillows out to Art in the Park and have a booth there this weekend and that's a very positive development as far as I'm concerned."

(Keck) Goodwin says she even made a special limited edition Irene pillow to sell - the proceeds of which she hopes will help some of her neighbors.  

For VPR News, I'm Nina Keck.