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Ish70 New user 38 Posts 
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Does anyone here work weekend festivals? If so, how do you get a list? Do you sign up as a vendor, performer, etc., or just show up and perform on the periphery? Do you make modifications to your act for the festival?
I'm looking to make a go this year and thought this would be a good time to gather intel. Thanks in advance! Ish |
Stperformer Loyal user 291 Posts
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Hi Ish,
If your thinking of working fests, now is the time to get it all together. A lot depends on what you're looking at...if you're thinking local or futher abroad...and what sort of fest. Pretty well all festivals have a contact. For larger festivals, you are most likely need some very strong promo material of you performing. At least a well edited Youtube clip around 3 minutes showing you doing your thing. If you just starting into festivals, you won't have much of a resume yet, so I would advise trying some smaller local festivals. And try to get someone to film you if possible so you'll can put together a vid. A lot of the smaller local festivals would love having a magician. However don't expect a lot of financial remuneration from these. Once you have a few smaller fests uder your belt plus a solid act,, you can move onto larger state festivals....and then the world 
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Ish70 New user 38 Posts
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Thank you, Stperformer. I appreciate the feedback.
Some questions: where do I look for a list of state festivals? Or is it just word of mouth? Do I offer to perform for tips or "audition" for a paying gig? Can I just show up and perform or would that be frowned upon? Thanks to all in advance. |
cbguy Veteran user 350 Posts
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Ish70,
I'll try to shed some light for you, since I work a lot of festivals, myself. There is no such thing as a festival circuit and there are no state festivals. States have fairs. They are not the same thing. A festival is usually 2 or three days long and takes place over a weekend, most of the time. A fair is usually 7 - 10 days long and occasionally longer. To get booked for a state or county fair is usually difficult at first because they often require you to be a member and showcase at their yearly convention. Even at that, you are lucky if you can pick up one fair from it. It's like the good 'ole boys club and usually takes a few years to get good results. However, there are always exceptions to the rules. For instance, I got booked into the Illinois State Fair by pure chance. I sent them some info and the next thing I know, they were calling me and I was in. It can happen. I would suggest to ignore fairs all together. They really are not worth all the trouble to get into. The better plan is to get booked into festivals. These are a piece of cake to get into and there are a TON of them, right in your backyard. I'm not going to give away the farm on how to find all of them because I believe you need to do some leg work on your own, rather than have everything handed to you. BUT...I am also a believer in giving people enough info to at least get started, so here you go. - Look into the different Chamber of Commerces' in your area (look for them in every city or town surrounding you within 40 miles). - Look at their event calendar to see what "festivals" or events they have coming up - Contact each one and tell them what you offer and what is need to further explore having you there. They will tell you what they want. All you have to do is give it to them, which is easy because they just told you what they're looking for : ) - Do not offer to perform for tips. When it comes to price give them your fee. - If they bulk at it, then you can either offer to work at a lower fee as long as you can accept tips or add something to your performance to justify the fee (i.e. include extra performances or some strolling magic) - Showing up and just performing is called "crashing" I do it all the time. There is an art to it and occasionally, you'll get ran off. BUT, if you do it right, the chances of getting kicked out are lessened and you can make good money. One day, I may write a book on crashing festivals because it is something I am very good at. In 2016 I crashed more than 30 festivals and only got kicked out of 1. - A lot of magicians will frown on crashing but they can kiss my ***. That's my attitude towards it. - My recommendation to you is do not try crashing a festival until you've got a lot of busking experience or else it will be a waste of your time, if you don't know how to make big hats. - Finally, to book a festival, you typically have to reach out to them 4 - 6 months before the event. Occasionally you can get last minute bookings, but that's not as common. I hope this has helped you. |
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Dick Oslund Inner circle 8357 Posts
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Hey Ish!
cbguy has just GIVEN you the real work! The only thing that I might add is a thought or two on PROPS and, TRICKS. I broke in the business when I was a teenager, in a carnie side show. That's different than being a midway "free act", but, the same criteria are somewhat applicable. I just wrote up my criteria, that have guided my choice of props & tricks, for well over, 50 years. I'll check out what thread, I wrote them for, and come back here in a few minutes....(Don't go away!)
SNEAKY, UNDERHANDED, DEVIOUS,& SURREPTITIOUS ITINERANT MOUNTEBANK
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Dick Oslund Inner circle 8357 Posts
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OK! (Your prayers weren't answered! --(I have returned!!!)
Check my post in the ROUND TABLE...FOOD FOR THOUGHT THREAD, ON December 18, at 5.22PM. I listed my NINE CRITERIA (actually ten! --all outdoor showmen, exaggerate a little.) In my school assembly tours, I never knew what sort of facilities & conditions that I would need to perform "in/under"! I had to produce a show that could/would play well, for almost anyone, almost anywhere. I have never (in 50+ years) "found" "A" trick that answered all of my criteria, 100%. I had to sometimes "give" a little, but, that "give" was very little, and, not very often. Here are a few additional thoughts to consider: Working "al fresco" (outdoors, in the open) it's not a good idea to plan on using "fragile" props like 6' Rice Dragon Silks! or $500. bouquets of flowers! or ANY prop that rain, wind, or sun could easily damage or destroy. Same goes for wardrobe! (Think: heat, humidity, dust, rain, wind, etc.!!! The classics have lasted for eons, 'cuz they're practical. Egg bag, rope 'stuff' like Nightmare, Long & Short, Dante's "Lazy Magician", Misers Dream, ETC. will serve you well. --The tricks, themselves, are just tricks. They will need Your PRESENTATION! Don't earn the "Chinese billing" (ONN TU LONG) Often, like working picnics, you'll have a STANDING audience. --Work, standing on a picnic table if you need to! That, along with cbguy's post should give you a fairly good idea of whet to expect. See ya on the next lot! 1
SNEAKY, UNDERHANDED, DEVIOUS,& SURREPTITIOUS ITINERANT MOUNTEBANK
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Ish70 New user 38 Posts
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Cbguy, Dick Oslund
Thank you both very much. That was exactly the hand-up I was looking for. I have no interest (at present) of doing fairs, but weekend festivals was EXACTLY what I had in mind. The direction and thoughts on show were spot on! Thanks guys! I'll report back on progress! |
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gallagher Inner circle 1168 Posts
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As a Street Performer,
working the greatest stage in the world; I often wonder why some want to play Festivals,.. fairs,.. ,..? Here you are, eating ''Steak del l' yum", ...why look for a bologny sandwich? öK. öK. ,with the sandwich, there's probably a bit more 'bread'. 😁 , . . . . . . . . Before getting into an answer, however; think for a moment. 'Paid gigs': not only do you invest time hunting them down, ..you have to 'impress'. Smile a bit too much,..and laugh at organizer's jokes. ,..shake 'ponds lotion hands',.. Every gig,.. you bend,. a bit. On top of that: you're expected to be 'good'. ,..on time. ,..and have clean under-pants. Is it worth the hassle? unfortunately... HEY!... "Man cannot live on steak alone!" (i'm quoting Popeye here..) ,...yeah, we need the bread, as well. , . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ö . . . There's good advice given above, (above MY scribblings, I mean,..!) ..with positive experience(!). We go about it, though, a bit differently. We save the effort, and expense(!!). Playing the Streets, the gigs come. We know WHAT we want, ...and HOW much we want. This, is the only advice I would give. "Know WHAT and for HOW much." ,....they'll tell you WHEN. Playing the Streets, folks come knocking. Every major festival I know, only hire Acts they've seen. Most organizers do not even look through PR material. They hire Acts they've seen,...work. Crashing fests. It's fun! ,but in my 'old age', I avoid partys I'm not invited to. It's usually a hassle. The 'hired guns', aren't happy about the blow-ins.... especially if you're turning good Shows (😊). If there ARE other Acts,..paid; the audiences don't give, as much, ...as on the Streets. ,...it's a bit confusing. You're passing the Hat,.. 'Houdonit' is playing for free.... hmm...? Experience. Collect experiences. Some people are so poor, they only have money. Collect,. and share(☺️) experiences. thanks for reading. gallagher |
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RobertSmith Veteran user 330 Posts
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Quote:
On Dec 21, 2016, cbguy wrote: "Ignore fairs altogether. They are not worth the trouble to get into." I've got $100,000.00 that says you might be wrong on this. If you want flash in the pan success and a couple of hundred bucks a day, the fair market is not for you. But if you want a nationwide team of people that will support you and help build you into a successful business, then the fair market is for you. Robert |
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cbguy Veteran user 350 Posts
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I'd take that $100,000.00 bet any day since I made just a little over that in 2016 without touching a fair : )
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RobertSmith Veteran user 330 Posts
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Quote:
On Dec 28, 2016, cbguy wrote: Which doesn't mean fairs "aren't worth getting into." |
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cbguy Veteran user 350 Posts
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I agree with Robert, to an extent.
If you have some experience and have some idea about how the business side of this game works....AND, if you don't mind investing a lot of time and money up front with little to no return on investment, then yes it's worth it but you absolutely need some experience first and I don't just mean performing. That's the easy part. Experience is needed in networking, selling, communicating, record keeping, etc... Once you are established in the fair market, you will be pretty much set for life. The down side is it takes about 3 - 5 years to get moving good and you have to be willing to travel, a lot. |
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RobertSmith Veteran user 330 Posts
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Quote:
On Dec 29, 2016, cbguy wrote: That's business. Whether you're building a social media consulting firm, a restaurant, or an entertainment business. If you want to crash festivals, crash festivals. The fair market isn't ideal for crashing. But if you invest the time, you'll be able to build a long term viable business. I get to travel from one side of this country to another and get paid in the process. I've been with some of the smallest and some of the largest fairs in America. I love this career I built. Yes. It took time. But most businesses take time to build. Money wise in the fair industry, all depends on how unique your act is and how much time you're willing to invest in your relationships (notice I said time, not necessarily money). I know people that go to a fair convention, don't meet anyone, get nothing, and drop out of the fair industry. I also know people clearing 6 figures working when they want to work, at the fairs they want to work. What is financial success to you in your business? $25,000/yr? $50,000? $100,000+? All of that and more is available to you in the fair industry. But it takes commitment just as any business does. Again, if you want short term excitement, crash festivals. If you want to build a business in a festival style environment, invest the time to get involved in the fair industry. My PM inbox is at the disposal of anyone who would like to learn more about the fair industry. Hope all of you have an amazing 2017! -Robert |
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cbguy Veteran user 350 Posts
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Crashing certainly isn't short term.
I've worked in 12 different countries and continue to thrive. I also know several other buskers who have or do the same thing. I think it all comes down to knowing what you're doing. Knowing how to live below your means and having a plan. If you're going to go through that much trouble to run a business, why not run a different, more profitable business? I do what I do because of the lifestyle. I can go literally anywhere in the world and be successful right out of the gate. That is not possible in the fair market. It's just not! |
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RobertSmith Veteran user 330 Posts
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Quote:
On Dec 29, 2016, cbguy wrote: Literally anywhere? How's the festival market in Syria this time of year? Being an entrepreneur and running your own business isn't easy. If the vagabond life is for you, more power to you. But the vagabond life isn't going to build long term success for your family, your children and future financial security. My whole point in commenting here was to dispute your statement that the fair market isn't worth it. Anyone who wants to make a serious living in the fair industry, and know where your next check is coming from (vs. living and dying by the hat), feel free to inbox me. -Robert |
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Posted: Dec 14, 2016 01:05 am 
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