07/10/2026
TLDR;
✔️the fair reinvests heavily in itself
✔️marketing is expensive, and any extra funds are redirected there
✔️Our compensation is modest, but the event is sustainable and we’re committed to continuing it
✔️This is what running an independent arts event actually looks like
I reassess our budget as we go, and whenever I find savings elsewhere, those funds get reinvested into marketing. In the weeks leading up to the fair, I often go over budget when worthwhile opportunities come up — like placement in a well-read newsletter or a social media campaign with high quality local news/culture outlets.
The nitty-gritty break down? These funds are split between print ads in local publications (the East Bay Express, the SF Chronicle, etc.), paid social media advertising, a physical postering campaign (thanks, Daily Staple!), and placements in popular newsletters from Bay Area publishers like Hearst Media, Weeklys, NoisePop, and others.
Our marketing budget is also supported by a significant amount of my own labor. These numbers don’t include the time I spend creating newsletters, pitching for earned media coverage, producing content, moderating, or managing social media—even though those tasks make up a substantial part of producing the fair.
I don’t track every hour, but I estimate I spend more than 400 hours planning and producing the event over the course of the year. That profit also isn’t entirely take-home pay—it helps cover the upfront costs of getting the following year’s fair underway, including administrative expenses, early labor, and venue deposits. Also, taxes!
I probably wouldn’t recommend building a business around donating your own labor, but I think that’s a reality many craftspeople can relate to. My hope is that by sharing these numbers, it’s a little easier to understand what it actually takes to produce an event like this—and why continuing to invest in it matters.
