And Erin Wainwright, another way to make sure that no one “forgets” to pay, is to stamp their hand. I ordered a custom stamp that says “Mollie the Painter”. As my sister takes the money, her friend stamps the childs’ (or adults’ lol) hand. That way, I can keep track of who had paid and also, the paintee remembers my name.

I have also joined the “No-Bathroom Club” (haha) as when I was at the 1-day fair, I went 8 hours without a bathroom break. I was able to leave because my sister watched the booth.

And if you are looking for a way to attract customers to your booth, its simple; get something to eat lol. Trust me, it works everytime!

♥ Mollie the Painter

I paid $25.00 to have a space during the street fair, and as Mrs. Bunny said, I made sure that I had gone to the bathroom first. I had a big sandwich board with my designs and my price listed. (I charged 5$ per face) I made over $200.00. Seeing as I was alone, I used a fanny pack to keep my money in and I made sure to collect the fee before starting, that way you don’t “forget” who has paid. I had a foldable picnic table and a parasol to keep myself shaded. It was a great learning experience.

Thanks for the wonderful tips! As a new clown, I had to learn balloon twisting. While practicing, instead of throwing the balloon designs away, I would punch a hole in my cards and slip the rolled end of my best balloon designs through and put them in a large trash bag. When I went out (shopping, etc.) I would pass out balloons for free. People were calling left and right!

Kim-

I just did my first festival. Man, it was a blast! It can seem daunting unless you see it as an adventure and learning tool. I would suggest that if you are working alone that you use a money pouch thingy (I don’t know the correct word) that runners sometimes have around their waist. When the kid sits down, they pay you first. My husband helped me and I’m glad he did because when the kids saw the designs, the line started forming and I worked for hours without a break! Here are some tips:

Make a sign listing your prices and bring something to put it up. There may not be anything available from festival staff so bring your own just in case.

Use the bathroom before you go and only drink little sips from your bottled drink. I didn’t have to use the bathroom until I was ready to go 5 hrs. later.

Only do limited masks for large quantities of kids (e.g. princess, butterfly for girls; cats, super heroes for boys). Masks are quick and simple. A few colors, some tears drops, accents and glitter and it’s over. Keep the styles and colors different to avoid look-a-likes. I charged $3 each, but I should have charged $5 because of the amount of paint used and work involved.

I used each end of the sponge for one color. One end would be black only and the other end might be red only. It kept things clean and simple.

Keep the kids lined up. This helps keep control.

Don’t carry a large amount of stuff if you are alone. Bring a snack. Take a break when possible, but don’t wait too long to take it.

Bring a large jug for clean water and keep your area clean. Never leave trash behind.

That’s it. Jump in the water and have fun, girl! It’s a good chance to get your feet wet as you learn more stuff!

P.S. The festival had one price for the booth ($50). Check around for festivals and find out how much they charge. Happy painting!

Yes, I worked at a town street fair this summer! I ended up being completely swamped! I worked for 6 hours straight with no bathroom break! Although I don’t recommend this to anyone, it was an amazing way to get my cards out there. I rented a space and charged a per-face fee. I was also hired by Parks Canada to paint at a public event in downtown Montréal. I’ve learned to always have my business cards out on my little table, that way parents and kids can help themselves to them without having to ask me for them.