October 10th is officially circled on my calendar in bright red marker, and honestly, my stomach is doing a mix of excited backflips and anxious roller coaster drops. Why? Because I am officially participating in my very first-ever vendor craft fair!
If you had told me a year ago that I’d be setting up my own booth, selling my creations to the public, I probably would have laughed nervously. Well, now I am laughing nervously, but for real. The excitement is unreal—the thought of seeing all my hard work displayed on a table, meeting fellow makers, and connecting with people who actually want to buy something I made is a dream come true.
But let’s be completely honest for a second: I am also terrified.
The imposter syndrome is hitting hard. My brain has been looping through a very specific highlight reel of worst-case scenarios:
- What if nobody stops at my booth?
- What if my setup looks completely amateur compared to everyone else?
- What if I forget how to use my card reader?
- What if someone asks a question and I completely blank?
It’s this weird emotional whiplash of feeling like a total boss one minute and wanting to hide under a blanket the next. I know logically that everyone has a Day One. Every seasoned crafter, baker, or artist at this fair had to set up their very first table once, feeling just as sweaty-palmed and nervous as I do right now.
Right now, my living room looks like a craft bomb went off. There are inventory boxes, price tags, display stands, and packing lists everywhere. I’m spending every spare minute tweaking my display, counting stock, and trying to talk myself out of overthinking every single detail.
So, I’m putting it out into the universe. October 10th is coming. I am going to be nervous, I might forget to breathe while setting up, and my hands will probably shake when I make my very first sale—but I am doing it anyway.
If you’ve ever vended at a craft fair, I am begging you for your best advice. What is the one thing you wish you knew before your first event? Drop your wisdom in the comments below, or just send good vibes my way. I'm going to need them!