First time reading at festival - tips?

Deanne

Hi AT :)

It's not very long ago that I started reading for others, but that's been going really well. Opportunities keep coming, I keep grabbing them, and things are moving along at a whirlwind pace. Which is how I agreed to read at a local one-day festival in a few weeks. (I was offered a booth at a 3-day event too, but turned that down. I'm sure there'll be kinks to work out and I'd rather do a shorter thing first)

Any tips for me? Not so much on the reading side of things (though those are welcome too), more about the actual process of putting together the booth, running it, that kind of stuff.

I'll be there from noon until 6 pm, and will be the only person in the booth (unfortunately don't have anyone to help me with this). I plan on wearing a money apron so as not to leave cash unattended, but beyond that I have no clue on what to do!

Thanks all!
Deanne
 

LindaMechele

I work at an organic garden center and we have a booth at a local farmers' market that I've manned, so I have a couple tips.

1. Bring more food and water (or other drinks, but include plain old water) than you think you'll need. You're going to be doing a lot of talking, and it takes it out of you. Speaking of that - breath mints or some kind of hard candy you enjoy. Keeps your mouth moist.

2. Bring a COMFY cushion to sit on. Oh, god, bring a comfortable cushion. This should be number one actually. ;)

3. Bring a roll of toilet paper. Yeah, they usually provide it, but sometimes things happen, and as much out of your element as you already are going to be, you do NOT want to be without toilet paper.

4. Bring paperweights. I had informational flyers and they would definitely fly if I hadn't weighted them down. For your cards this will be even more important. Maybe some large-ish rose quartz to do double-duty clearing querents' energy?

5. Bring something to do in between. There may be lulls. Then again, maybe you can just play solitaire with one of your decks to show off the cards while waiting for your next sitter. :cool3:

6. Be sure to check the weather the night before and again that morning so you'll know if you need to bring a jacket or raincoat. Sunglasses are handy, too - it suuuuuucks to have the event organizers place your booth where you're sitting facing the sun and you without glasses.


Oh, what fun you're going to have! Write a thread about it, would you? I think it would be so much fun to do this and would love to live vicariously through you. I have an old Avion camper trailer (like an Airstream, but beefier) that I'm customizing. I plan to hit the road with it once I'm retired, and I dream of hitting a few festivals along the way, being a traveling tarot reader... *sigh*
 

Deanne

1. Bring more food and water (or other drinks, but include plain old water) than you think you'll need. You're going to be doing a lot of talking, and it takes it out of you. Speaking of that - breath mints or some kind of hard candy you enjoy. Keeps your mouth moist.

2. Bring a COMFY cushion to sit on. Oh, god, bring a comfortable cushion. This should be number one actually. ;)

3. Bring a roll of toilet paper. Yeah, they usually provide it, but sometimes things happen, and as much out of your element as you already are going to be, you do NOT want to be without toilet paper.

4. Bring paperweights. I had informational flyers and they would definitely fly if I hadn't weighted them down. For your cards this will be even more important. Maybe some large-ish rose quartz to do double-duty clearing querents' energy?

5. Bring something to do in between. There may be lulls. Then again, maybe you can just play solitaire with one of your decks to show off the cards while waiting for your next sitter. :cool3:

6. Be sure to check the weather the night before and again that morning so you'll know if you need to bring a jacket or raincoat. Sunglasses are handy, too - it suuuuuucks to have the event organizers place your booth where you're sitting facing the sun and you without glasses.

Thanks so much <3
Food, water, and paperweights are all planned. I'll see if I can double the food/water. As for paperweights, I came up with the idea earlier today to use a variety of crystals for the cards, and I'm taping a clear tarp over the table that'll have papers on it (to keep them in place and safe from rain). When asked to do this festival I was too late in the season to buy a proper tent/canopy, so I needed to get creative. The tentative plan is a small mosquito-netting tent at the back, with a small table and chairs - I'll do the readings there. In front will be the larger folding table with info and stuff.

Don't think toilet paper will be an issue - no port-a-potties here, this is a street festival surrounded by businesses. Phew!

Hadn't even considered the cushion, time-killers, and sunglasses - definitely adding those to the list!
 

lark

Bring a little box of Kleenex
A nice sign in front of your booth with your name, tarot... and prices.
I got a plain stretch canvas, painted my name, and prices on it and glued a few pictures of tarot cards to it.
I had a deck that was damages so used some of those cards.
But you could print some off.
I stood it on one of those plate holders that looks like a metal easel.


If it was windy I used sheets of photo sleeves to slide the cards in.
I do a five card draw so it was easy make a five card draw sheet.
That way they were protected and the wind couldn't catch them.
I used to use crystals to hold them down, but the table would get jostled etc. and sometimes off one would sail.

Comfortable chair/cushion very important!!!
Candles are lovely, but hard to keep lite sometimes outside...so I got a few of those kind that look just like a candle, but are really a little lite you turn on., and have a battery.
If it was windy I use those.
Sunscreen, stuff for bugs...bugs can be a real pain like mosquitos...
Snacks, water....I always bring a coffee drink really perks me up late in the afternoon.

Reading material...But I find it's better to kind of be sitting there at the ready playing with your cards.
Sounds silly, but true, that sometimes if you are all hunkered down comfortably reading people don't want to disturb you.
If you look ready to read it attracts them to your table.

To save your voice if it is nosey around you put the client on the right or left hand of you instead of across the table from you, that way you don't have to shout across the table...they can see the cards better and it is a more intimate experience for them.

Table cover... a longer table cover that hangs down and won't flip over in the wind is nice...I use a heavy velvet one with beads on the edges.
I sometimes do or don't use a reading mat...if I do I have one that I taped a piece of rug grip on the back of that way it stays put and doesn't shift around.

Bring more than one deck...hopefully yours will not be damaged or stolen...
I have done many fairs where the reader got up to go to the bathroom and their deck was gone when they got back.... a frantic cry goes out for a deck to use because they brought no spare.
And tears because it was their favorite that someone walked off with.
Don't let anything unattended on your table.
Take your deck with you if you leave the table and anything that is precious to you.
I know it sounds bizarre, but it does happen.

Also spilled drinks...people at street fairs are walking around with food and beverages and they always...always want to set things down on your table...
I got a little plastic table like for a patio and set it off to the side for them to put drinks purses etc. on...
But the point is they spill stuff on your table, your cards, everywhere...
So extra cards are a big MUST HAVE....just in case.

Kids- people have kids...they bring kids to street fairs and so to the reading, and the kids have nothing to do but wine and act bored and interrupt...I go to the dollar store and get some color books crayons, side walk chalk ...stuff like that and set it on the little patio table for them to play with.
Helps a lot.
Those safety pop suckers are good too..keeps their mouths busy. :)

So just some stuff to think about if you are going to do a lot of these.
 

LindaMechele

Sounds like you've already got this well though out, Deanne. I think you'll do well. Oooh, I like the clear cover over the front table idea. That'll keep people who are waiting in line busy. Positive thinking - you will have a line of people waiting.

Sounds silly, but true, that sometimes if you are all hunkered down comfortably reading people don't want to disturb you.
Very true. That's been my experience as well.

I have done many fairs where the reader got up to go to the bathroom and their deck was gone when they got back....
Oh, god, yes. How horrible, but yeah, it happens. The farmers' market I did was a weekly thing, so sellers developed relationships with other sellers. I watched others' booths a few times so the jewelry lady could take a potty break and the t-shirt guy could go have a smoke - they had both had losses unfortunately. My booth had mostly organic fertilizers and composts. Not many people want to steal a 40 pound bag of turkey manure or a gallon jug of dead fish and schlep it around, so I was fairly safe. :joke:

Bring a little box of Kleenex...
Also spilled drinks...
Kids- people have kids... Those safety pop suckers are good too..keeps their mouths busy. :)
ALL good points. A good line to quiet down loud and unruly kids: "Remember, Santa's still watching." The looks on their faces when you say that in August are priceless: "Oh, shit! I forgot about him!"
 

Deanne

Bring a little box of Kleenex

If it was windy I used sheets of photo sleeves to slide the cards in.
I do a five card draw so it was easy make a five card draw sheet.
That way they were protected and the wind couldn't catch them.

Sunscreen, stuff for bugs...bugs can be a real pain like mosquitos...

To save your voice if it is nosey around you put the client on the right or left hand of you instead of across the table from you, that way you don't have to shout across the table...they can see the cards better and it is a more intimate experience for them.

I sometimes do or don't use a reading mat...if I do I have one that I taped a piece of rug grip on the back of that way it stays put and doesn't shift around.

Also spilled drinks...people at street fairs are walking around with food and beverages and they always...always want to set things down on your table...
I got a little plastic table like for a patio and set it off to the side for them to put drinks purses etc. on...

Kids- people have kids...they bring kids to street fairs and so to the reading, and the kids have nothing to do but wine and act bored and interrupt...I go to the dollar store and get some color books crayons, side walk chalk ...stuff like that and set it on the little patio table for them to play with.
Helps a lot.
Those safety pop suckers are good too..keeps their mouths busy. :)

Thanks so much for the awesome tips lark! I hadn't thought of the ones I quoted here. I'll have to decide which ones I'll have room/materials for, but will definitely incorporate some of these :)
 

LindaMechele

Sounds like you've already got this well though out, Deanne. I think you'll do well. Oooh, I like the clear cover over the front table idea. That'll keep people who are waiting in line busy. Positive thinking - you will have a line of people waiting.

Sounds silly, but true, that sometimes if you are all hunkered down comfortably reading people don't want to disturb you.
Very true. That's been my experience as well.

I have done many fairs where the reader got up to go to the bathroom and their deck was gone when they got back....
Oh, god, yes. How horrible, but yeah, it happens. The farmers' market I did was a weekly thing, so sellers developed relationships with other sellers. I watched others' booths a few times so the jewelry lady could take a potty break and the t-shirt guy could go have a smoke - they had both had losses unfortunately. My booth had mostly organic fertilizers and composts. Not many people want to steal a 40 pound bag of turkey manure or a gallon jug of dead fish and schlep it around, so I was fairly safe. :joke:

Bring a little box of Kleenex...
Also spilled drinks...
Kids- people have kids... Those safety pop suckers are good too..keeps their mouths busy. :)
ALL good points. A good line to quiet down loud and unruly kids: "Remember, Santa's still watching." The looks on their faces when you say that in August are priceless: "Oh, sh*t! I forgot about him!"
 

Deanne

Update

Just a few more days to go - the festival is this coming Saturday!

I'm feeling much more comfortable now. I've got things pretty much in place. I set up a mock booth in my backyard to see how it looks and I'm loving it <3

Still definitely open to any last-minute tips you may have though - while I think I'm prepared now there's always something I'm forgetting!
 

LeFou

Hmm, how about: "What questions would I feel uncomfortable handling?" Random classic example: is someone cheating on me? I don't think I could ever say, "Yes," to that question, but it could be redirected to something more neutral and useful like, "Let's look at how you might be feeling about this relationship..."
 

Deanne

Hmm, how about: "What questions would I feel uncomfortable handling?" Random classic example: is someone cheating on me? I don't think I could ever say, "Yes," to that question, but it could be redirected to something more neutral and useful like, "Let's look at how you might be feeling about this relationship..."

Thanks LeFou!

I have only 2 topics that are completely off-limits to me, and I've mentioned those (in small-ish print) on one of my signs.
As for particular questions I'm quite comfortable helping a querant re-phrase their question to make the most of the reading (I'd probably suggest "What do I need to know about my relationship with so-and-so?" for the example you gave)