Dear new and former Bazaar participants:
We’d like to invite you to participate in the 2015 International Holiday Bazaar at St. Michael’s, Dec. 5 (Saturday evening, 3 - 7 p.m., optional) and Dec. 6 (9 a.m. to 3 p.m.). Please join us. Former participants, note a slight name change.
WHO CAN PARTICIPATE: Socially-committed, non-violent non-profits, Parish groups, and Parish artists only. Space is free for non-profit groups. Parish artists donate 10% of their gross to the Church’s Social Action Committee.
WHAT WE NEED TO KNOW NOW
[your application]
(return this by e-mail or regular mail, even if you have already talked with us)
Do you plan to participate?
If so, please list the following:
Contact person
– name, e-mail, and phone number(s):
Group name, mailing address
(other address information), what you plan to sell, and who benefits:
Participation dates: Saturday and Sunday? Sunday only?
WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW
Saturday setup,
between 1 and 3 p.m., for 3 p.m. start. A morning option will be arranged.
Sunday setup:
between 8 and 9 a.m. preferred. Between 10 and 11 a.m. is possible (we'll save space ONLY if you indicate you are choosing this option).
Food groups:
Sunday only. Plan to start serving around 11:00 a.m. Church coffee hours will provide basic refreshments until then. St. Michael's Social Action Committee does the Saturday free reception. You are responsible for your own Health Department permits.
Loading / unloading:
Drive around the back (N. side) of the church, down a drive that says "Do not enter." There are breeze way doors on the north and east sides of the drive.
SATURDAY EVENING.
ALL GROUPS (except one potential food group) WILL BE INSIDE. SUNDAY ONLY GROUPS WILL BE OUTSIDE, in the adjacent patio.
REMINDERS:
Socially-committed, non-violent non-profits, Parish groups, and Parish artists only. Space is free for non-profit groups. Parish artists donate 10% of their gross to the Church’s Social Action Committee. Refugees sponsored by any of the non-profit refugee groups are very welcome. You can leaflet but MUST have stuff to sell.
You do not have to be a 501 C-3 nonprofit if you are known to us or can demonstrate that you meet the criteria (we love small programs).
Sunday only is an option, but Saturday only is not.
We provide one 6-foot table, and you do the rest. We do our best to allocate space so that each group will have at least 9 feet of space, even inside on Saturday night.
You take all your money home – no percentages to us.
We do ask you to report how much you gross, so we can know the success of the event. If you have a terrific day and want to make a voluntary small contribution to help cover costs, we won’t turn it down.
INDOOR SPACE is at a premium but we fit everyone inside on Saturday evening. Groups coming Sunday only will be outside unless they make special arrangements.
Saturday groups who want to spread out can have more space if they opt to move outside on Sunday (Guatemala Project does this). We can’t control the weather but will make sure outside groups are under sheltered walks if it is rainy.
MUSIC
– Still a work in progress, but Mzekala has confirmed for Saturday, and Ted Warmbrand for Sunday. We think some of our other Sunday favorites will return.
SECURITY –
You are welcome to leave your tables set up indoors over Saturday night. We do not hire special security, but the coordinators will be the last to leave and will make sure the hall and all entrances to the adjacent patios are locked. Most of us like to cover our items with a sheet or cloth.
SAGE ADVICE –
Variety in pricing and in articles for sale seems to help. So does being present for the entire event. If you come late with one product, expect a small return.
Fine arts traditionally have not done well, but someday there will be an exception.
Low-cost items generally sell well, but there have been many "high-end" exceptions.
THE MORE THE MERRIER
(until we reach 30 groups total) – Please encourage your favorite groups that meet the criteria to participate. Variety and enthusiasm help us all.
PAST RETURNS:
Last year, among all groups, around $6200 changed hands. In 2007, before the economic downturn and before alternative shopping events were so common, the total was over $9,000. However, amounts for individual groups have varied considerably.
PLEASE CALL IF YOU HAVE QUESTIONS OR NEED MORE INFORMATION.
ILA ABERNATHY (520) 623-3063, ilaa@mindspring.com
[Note – we have a new committee. Once initial contacts are made, you will be notified of a new contact person.]
