How to Enjoy Summer Art Festivals and Fairs

My city of Paso Robles has several summer festivals that focus on one or more of the arts. I have participated in two of them -- the Festival of the Arts in 2010 and 2011, and the 2010 Lavender Festival. Both were all day events with a multitude of vendors and activities for all ages. For the sake of simplicity, I will focus on the Paso Robles Festival of the Arts. But what I suggest will work for any festival or fair you plan to attend that has multiple vendors, activities, and exhibits. 

When I attended my first Festival of the Arts last year, I had no clear plan. I picked up a brochure at the beginning and scanned it for activities that might interest me, but I also wandered around just to see what I could see. This year I was better prepared. Here's what I did differently this year.

You will need to plan how you will meet the needs of hunger, thirst, and rest that will present themselves. Our festival in Paso Robles sells water and trail mix. I brought mine from home. We were also encouraged to patronize the restaurants surrounding the park, who had prepared special dishes for the occasion. If you have children, you might want to consider bringing your own food -- some to carry with you, and some to keep in cooler in the car. You will also want to carry or plan on buying water.

We were lucky this year -- the day was only in the seventies and breezy. Last year it was quite hot. Don't forget sunscreen. I came home with a sunburn last year. Also, make sure all family members have a hat. A fanny pack is also nice for keeping the  hands free and cameras handy. I also brought a tote bag with water, trail mix, an apple, and some fresh cherries with me. It contained extra sunscreen and some toilet paper and tissues. One never knows if supplies will be available in public restrooms at large events. It's also good to carry a few bandages in case someone manages to get a cut or scratch. There might have been a first aid booth, but I didn't see any information on it. 

If you think you might be doing some shopping with all those temptations to buy art, be sure to bring a checkbook as well as some cash and a credit card. I wanted to buy a book, but had not thought to bring a checkbook. The Native Plant Booth did not accept credit cards and I'd only brought a few dollars cash. 

If you spend the day at an art festival, your body, most especially your feet, will get tired. This is especially true if you're very young or not  young enough any more.  Try to plan some sitting activities during the day. I had not planned enough of them. Had I not done so much videography where I needed to stand to get the speaker's voice or be taller than the crowd, I could have been seated at some of the interactive talks. As it was, I had about ten minutes to sit at a nature talk and that was about it. I was ready to collapse by 4 PM, and had to skip the photography walk I had planned to take at that time. Instead I headed for Studios on the Park across the street and found a bench to sit on until I recovered enough to look around and then go home. I had not planned enough rest -- a danger anyone can run into when there is so much to do.  

To get the most out of your art festival, research the activities available ahead of time and make a plan that gives priority to those you don't want to miss -- for both you and your children. Also plan some rest periods or sit down activities for the sake of your feet. Determine what you will do when your family gets hungry and thirsty, and find out where the rest rooms are before there's an urgent need for them.  At the end of the day, you will be glad you thought ahead, and your family will be grateful. Now find an art festival you want to attend, plan ahead, and have a wonderful time