Happy Endings

Sugarloaf Craft Festivals completed its Spring 2010 season with a flourish last weekend in Timonium.  Attendance at the three-day event beat last year’s attendance by a 20%. Happy visitors purchased more than $1.2 million in fine arts and contemporary crafts.

This exciting finish caps a very encouraging show season for Sugarloaf. Active marketing to the crafts community resulted in many more new exhibitors than in recent memory. Sugarloaf saw more first-time visitors, and the positive impact of its social media efforts (including more than 7,500 “People Who Like” it on Facebook) was confirmed by exhibitors, as well as constant conversations on Facebook.  Attendance results for the season beat the industry standard, and an impressive $5.7 million in sales was recorded in just 18 show days.

At the end of the day (or, the end of the show season), we think that these results not only speak well for the value of thoughtful and diligent public relations but for a change in consumer confidence. We are already looking forward to next season.