ciclovia '09

What a crazy, crafty Sunday! After much preparation, the mascot and I spent the whole day manning the “Everything is Ticketyboo” kiosk at Ciclovia on Broadway.

We got there early (7:45am) and set up a gorgeous display of pins, Altoids tins, pillows, and the new domino pendants on our rented cart. People started coming around by about 10am; by 11, the street was full. It was awesome to see Winnipeggers out in droves, although it would have been more awesome if they had actually been shopping! The sales, while not completely dismal, were somewhat disappointing…especially given the sheer number of people on the street. Most people that I spoke to were surprised by all the vendors and had simply come unprepared to shop.

It wasn’t a total waste of time, though.. I did manage to talk to a ton of nice folks and gave out close to half a box of business cards. (Just how many times *did* I say “I do custom work”??) At the end of the day, I came out of it with a tan, a ton of potential customers (including a gift store), an invite to teach an art/ATC class to some elementary students, some new friends, and $140 in my pocket…and that’s after the endless stream of cash that I used to keep the mascot fed and occupied. (Just how many cups of coffee *did* I send him to fetch??) Plus, I received a call this morning from a woman who bought 3 pins and would like to order 12-20 more for her quilting group!

So, all-in-all it was a good (albeit LONG) day. I hope that they do this again next year, too. I think now that Winnipeggers have been to a Ciclovia event, they’ll know what to expect from the next one…and bring money. I’ll be ready for them!