Displays for booth for festivals and fairs

I'm still in the process of getting my booth together and now I'm onto the displays. I have my banner already that will go across the top of the canopy and now I'm working on the displays that will hang on either side of the entrance. I'm thinking of buying a 30' roll of 24" wide black vinyl and cutting it up to make 6' long displays- one on either side of the entrance, and then their copies inside hanging on the back side of the tent facing in so that I won't have to bother with books- once they're in the chair they can simply point to the picture they want. I was thinking of getting dowel rods and fold over the top and bottom of the vinyl and sew or glue, then insert the dowel and some cord on the top to hang, and just a dowel on the bottom to keep it from curling in. Then I would have velcro dots directly on the vinyl. They would roll up easily for transport and be weather proof (I think). The pictures themselves would be printed on heavy stock and laminated, then have the velcro dots on the back. That way, I can take them off for transport, or to change up the display for different venues.

My goal is to have weatherproof, easily transported displays that can be changed at a moment's notice.

What do ya'll think? Any suggestions?

I bought a laminator last year. It's my most favorite investment. I print off 8.5 x 11 photo display sheets and then laminate them for each event. It's cheap enough the photos can not be smudged or ruined with water and then I have a handy reference with me, and one or two for the children to be looking at.

I also laminate 4x6 photos once I have a 'keeper' design.

So I like your display idea alot! especially if you are outdoors and there is inclement weather. You do not want your photos ruined!

I have a laminator as well - I absolutely love it! I have a 27"X40" poster frame board thing, which I've covered with coloured paper and then clear book covering - ergo "laminating" it. I cut/crop my display photos, mount them on coloured construction paper, then cut and laminate them. Then I'm free to change what I'm offering as I wish! (The plastic cover that came with the board goes back on, so it's doubly waterproof, and I don't have to worry about anyone walking off with a photo or 6...)

When I was making my board, I thought about velcro, but because my photos are all different sizes and shapes, it wouldn't always work, visually. Also, I didn't want to be "stuck" with the amount of designs I'd offer because of the amount of velcro tabs on the board. Does that make sense?

(Although if one of your goals is for your display to be easily changeable, the velcro dots - and photos that are the same size! - are a great idea - and your set up sounds good! I like the vinyl idea, too.)

It sounds like a nice, professional, and functional way to go.

Hmmm... I didn't think about the fact that they could be easily "lifted" by anyone walking by.... I may have to make extra pictures just in case. But yes, I would have all the pictures the same size so they could be changed out easily. And I think black velcro dots on the black vinyl wouldn't be very noticeable if I didn't have every spot filled, but I guess I'll just have to wait and see. I've ordered the black vinyl roll (only $25 on ebay!)- enough to do 4 displays with some left over. And I also found individual sheets of brightly colored, glittery vinyl that I'm going to take to my sister-in-law's over the holidays when we travel to Dallas- she has a cricut machine and could easily cut the letters out for me. They're going to really stand out against the black vinyl!

I'm trying to get all of this done by January because the local street fair wants to take pictures of my complete set up- and at the moment I don't have a complete set up LOL! I want it to look eye catching but professional and functional.

I must have missed this thread. Check out my festival set up in my gallery. I got an over-the-door shoe-hanger-thing from Lowe's that's clear plastic. It was about $20, but it holds 4x6 pics perfectly. I hang it from the EZ up, put in whatever pictures I want to use. I'm going to buy another one before the summer season starts again. But you gave me a great idea, I'm going to put pics on both sides!

Jennifer;

Is that an over the door hook on your fat max holding the mesh bag? Good idea.

Judy

yep... I love it. But it's different than a regular over the door because the plastic is shaped like a triangle when it's not in use, so it hugs the door, so it grabs the edge of my fat max just fine.

Laminators are good if you are using a board for faces, nice n easy to change.

I had velcro patches inside those big wood edges acrylic 'glassed' so I couls swap designs as I wished. Then i stopped using any pics as I was comnfident enough and fed up of kids wanting the EXACT smae and giving me no room for creativity

But I really reccommend getting a proper banner done - have seen people choose me over nearby painters as I have a nice big pro-looking banner.


I also had to have pop-up banners done in Hk so they are light/roll up into a tiny tube bag so I can carry them - as here many don't speak english and cantonese is the most impossible language I ever tried. So they can point! Sigh, back to pics


cat x

and now for a tangent... Cat, how are those wings attached?

I love those wings in your hair. Where did you get those, I think I need a pair.

I make & sell wings, I made those with bra sized elastic.

I just slip the loops down the back of my neck and stick an arm through each one so they are hidden, instead of wearing the straps outside on my shoulders. They are just underneath. Mucks up your collar a bit if yo have a polo shirt but looks better.

Cat x

ah sneaky! thanks for the tip. They looked so light I wondered if they were pinned on

Wildcatfin wrote:I make & sell wings, I made those with bra sized elastic.

I just slip the loops down the back of my neck and stick an arm through each one so they are hidden, instead of wearing the straps outside on my shoulders. They are just underneath. Mucks up your collar a bit if yo have a polo shirt but looks better.

Cat x

Did you make those rainbow wings hanging from your setup? I think those are so pretty

Yes!

Actually the wing masters, who I met & collaberated with a few years ago after I started making wings (when I was f-p at a big UK music festival), are Fairylove.com. Expensive but worth it. The rainbow wings & the pink ones I'm wearing were my attempt at doing their (smaller) style - I got to go stay at their amazing country HQ for a weekend and make my wings there. They liked my design so much they now sell their own version.

Must say that type of wings are at the top of my price range - but they are TOUGH, like the next 3 cheaper ranges I do. As in last well if worn daily - I often go out thinking I have forgotten something if I don't feel the wing straps on

OKay, I think I have gone completely over the edge with this, but here is what I'm working on for my festival booth:

I have bought sheets of 4' x 8' corrugated plastic (light and waterproof!) and cut them into the shape of a castle. I will attach the edges to the legs of the canopy, and string my banner across the top. On the front of the castle "towers" I will velcro laminated photos of my faces. The photos will be in the shape of "stones" that will hopefully give the impression of stonework on the front of the castle On the inside leg, I will velcro mirrors for the kids to look at themselves as they leave. In the rear of the canopy, I will string my display photos on vinyl so that once inside the tent and sitting in my chair, they can just point to the face they want and I can also glance at it easily for reference.

I'm a designer, so of course I had to lay this out in my design software to see how it would look I didn't want to take the time to put all the photos on the displays, but you get the jist:



Have I totally lost it? I want to attract attention to the booth, and I think this just might do it!! LOL (My husband thinks I'm insane but is loving it LOL!)

oh my God, that is so awesome! Now I totally want you to design my set up.

So you don't think I'm insane? Of course, I probably fit in well with all the other insane face painters here LOL!

And here is the layout if we have 2 face painters and a glitter tattooist and line manager (see, MeLisa, I have room for you!!).......

dang, you will need a truck to haul all your gear!

That is cool... and for a festival set-up would be very eye-catching.

Now show us how you transport it!!

It is way cute! And yeah, let us know how you transport.

brill.
Just make sure you factor in the wind-catching ability of the flat castle side and add extra ground bars or whatever.

I was at a really windy event once and had to take my walls down as even heavy duty extra stakes/ tie downs AND ground bars weren't making me feel safe. Something grazed my shoulder and a kid screamed and it was a nearby booth taking off and landing on the (being deflated!) bouncy castle!!!
Cat x

Well, the good thing about this set up is, it's in sections that will fasten together on site The corrugated plastic sheets are in pieces that are no larger than 2' x 8' and are really light. I'll be attaching the photos on once the castle is set up (velcro) and the castle is attached to the booth with velcro straps. I will have a support bracket holding up the taller pieces, since they are so light and the banner is heavy vinyl and kind of heavy (the banner is actually attached to the brackets, not the castle turrets).

I have a mini van that I can take the benches out in the back, so I have tons of space to haul everything. The castle is really the lightest part of the whole set-up. And I really don't have to worry much about wind here... the only time we get much wind is when we have a hurricane LOL! But everything will be anchored down well, just in case. If worst comes to worst and it gets really windy for some reason, I can always take down the castle and just leave the front banner, since I will still have displays inside across the back wall

I'm very excited... my first festival is on March 13 so I'm trying to get it all ready. I have to practice a set up in the back yard to see how long it will take to get it all up, so I'll take pictures of the 'real' thing then

I'm a designer so I can't help being very detailed with this stuff! Here's my design if anyone wants to use it... I've already gotten 2 more festivals to give me a prominent spot by showing them the 3D design of this- they love it! Very eye-catching.





The largest pieces are 2' x 8' and will just fit in the mini-van
Everything else will go together on-site- fairly quickly, I hope!
Now, to finish building the thing!