Potomac Bonsai Association Show and Sale, May 6-8, 2022

[Pitoon]

Is this a show worth vending at? Say if you had pottery ahem.

In order to vend at the show you have to be a member of the PBA or a member of one of the associated clubs. The tables are in a fest tent out on the lawn. Maybe 10-15 vendors at the most. Weather is what will determine the crowd turn out. This year it stormed crazy and it was cold, and for some reason they held it on Mother's day weekend.

It's a 55min drive for me to the Arboratum. I thought about doing this show next year since I'm a member of the Northern Virginia Bonsai Society. Still debating if it's worth giving up a weekend.

How was the Pacific show? I saw your table via a video. The wooden stands to show the pots looked nice.

 

[Sansokuu]

How was the Pacific show? I saw your table via a video. The wooden stands to show the pots looked nice.

It was excellent! I sold 26 out of 56 pots, and Nao pretty much sold out (he had a handful remaining that he gave to Matt Reel to consign). I ask because Nao was invited to vend at this show, but since it is so far away it would have to be worth the time as he has limited time off and it would be pretty costly to haul the pots out. Do you have any ida on attendance numbers, weather aside?

 

[Pitoon]

It was excellent! I sold 26 out of 56 pots, and Nao pretty much sold out (he had a handful remaining that he gave to Matt Reel to consign). I ask because Nao was invited to vend at this show, but since it is so far away it would have to be worth the time as he has limited time off and it would be pretty costly to haul the pots out. Do you have any ida on attendance numbers, weather aside?

It's not a show like Rochester or Pacific. It's basically several trees from the surrounding clubs consolidated on display. The vending tent I would say is around 70ft x 50ft. If I had to guess maybe a few hundred people would pass through.

If I was invited to the west coast for a similar show I would pass. If I was invited to the Pacific show I would think about it. East coast to west coast and vice versa is a long distance to be lucky breaking even on covering the trip. Lol, my vacation days are worth more to me.

 

[rockm]

Is this a show worth vending at? Say if you had pottery ahem.

Yes, definitely, but I'm biased . There is a big bonsai community in the DMV (D.C., Maryland and Va.). The show is pretty busy most years. Dale Cochoy, Don Gould and Ron Lang were all regulars at this show. All of those people are not producing pots anymore though, so local demand for high quality pots like yours is likely high. Rick Garcia at North American Satsuki Bonsai Center based in the Bay area vended last spring. He might be able to give you input on whether it's worth the trip.

 

[rockm]

In order to vend at the show you have to be a member of the PBA or a member of one of the associated clubs. The tables are in a fest tent out on the lawn. Maybe 10-15 vendors at the most. Weather is what will determine the crowd turn out. This year it stormed crazy and it was cold, and for some reason they held it on Mother's day weekend.

It's a 55min drive for me to the Arboratum. I thought about doing this show next year since I'm a member of the Northern Virginia Bonsai Society. Still debating if it's worth giving up a weekend.

How was the Pacific show? I saw your table via a video. The wooden stands to show the pots looked nice.

I don't know if club membership is mandatory for sellers. PBA was on FB looking for vendor suggestions for the show recently.

Turn out does depend on weather, so it can vary year to year. A sunny Mother's Day weekend will bring out crowds. Rainy weekends brings out the hardcore buyers. Traveling from the west coast is a roll of the dice for sure.

 

[Wood]

I visited two or three times over the weekend during the last show (Volunteered for setup and dropped off/picked up a couple trees). The vendor tent was pretty jam packed every time I went despite the rain. Hollowworks Ceramics (on instagram) is a local DC ceramic artist who does some bonsai pots in addition to her other ceramics. She said she was incredibly impressed by the demand and will be returning next year with more pots

If you and Nao ended up at our show, I know that I'd start saving up for pots now

 

[Pitoon]

I don't know if club membership is mandatory for sellers. PBA was on FB looking for vendor suggestions for the show recently.

Turn out does depend on weather, so it can vary year to year. A sunny Mother's Day weekend will bring out crowds. Rainy weekends brings out the hardcore buyers. Traveling from the west coast is a roll of the dice for sure.

Last time I spoke with Chuck (PBA president) earlier this year he told me it was mandatory to be a member if you want to vend. I know he is the outgoing President, and there will be a new president shortly if not already in place. With new presidents comes change......if the board approves. So maybe they dropped the member requirement?

From a vendor standpoint I just don't see the customer base there to make a trip across the country worthwhile. Nao makes great pots, but just because he's present in the tent doesn't mean everyone out in the DMV is going to flock down to pick up a pot. That's just unrealistic.

Rick sold satsuki's there not pots. He could speak on attendance, but I don't think he would be a good candidate to talk to about selling pots there.

There are shows worth traveling for and there are shows that aren't. As a vendor this isn't a show worth traveling four time zones to do. @NaoTK and @Sansokuu will have to roll the dice and determine if it's worth it to them. If they do come I'd like to finally meet them in person to chat.

I'm thinking to go to the Pacific show in 2024 to vend. I'm already accepting the fact that I may not even break even. I'm more interested in meeting people there on the west coast that I've talked to, but never met in person.

 

[NaoTK]

I am planning to vend at Nationals in 2023, that will be my big east coast thing then. Thanks for the feedback

 

[rockm]

Last time I spoke with Chuck (PBA president) earlier this year he told me it was mandatory to be a member if you want to vend. I know he is the outgoing President, and there will be a new president shortly if not already in place. With new presidents comes change......if the board approves. So maybe they dropped the member requirement?

From a vendor standpoint I just don't see the customer base there to make a trip across the country worthwhile. Nao makes great pots, but just because he's present in the tent doesn't mean everyone out in the DMV is going to flock down to pick up a pot. That's just unrealistic.

Rick sold satsuki's there not pots. He could speak on attendance, but I don't think he would be a good candidate to talk to about selling pots there.

There are shows worth traveling for and there are shows that aren't. As a vendor this isn't a show worth traveling four time zones to do. @NaoTK and @Sansokuu will have to roll the dice and determine if it's worth it to them. If they do come I'd like to finally meet them in person to chat.

I'm thinking to go to the Pacific show in 2024 to vend. I'm already accepting the fact that I may not even break even. I'm more interested in meeting people there on the west coast that I've talked to, but never met in person.

 

[W3rk]

Is this a show worth vending at? Say if you had pottery ahem.

From my experience as a visitor/customer - I'm inclined to say yes [but I also now see you'd be travelling from the West Coast - so no, probably not]. I've attended this show maybe 3 times over the last 5 years (and we had Covid shutdowns). Overall there's a pretty broad bonsai community around here - I think there are 3 full clubs that are part of the PBA - and good interest since we have the National Bonsai Museum right here.

From my limited observations there's pretty good vendor participation and good material overall. This last show, I think there was maybe only one local potter vending, I'm afraid I forgot her name. Hopefully you get some other feedback.

Also I just wanted to say: I absolutely adore your pot illustrations. They are joyous and whimsical.

 

[Sansokuu]

From my experience as a visitor/customer - I'm inclined to say yes [but I also now see you'd be travelling from the West Coast - so no, probably not]. I've attended this show maybe 3 times over the last 5 years (and we had Covid shutdowns). Overall there's a pretty broad bonsai community around here - I think there are 3 full clubs that are part of the PBA - and good interest since we have the National Bonsai Museum right here.

From my limited observations there's pretty good vendor participation and good material overall. This last show, I think there was maybe only one local potter vending, I'm afraid I forgot her name. Hopefully you get some other feedback.

Also I just wanted to say: I absolutely adore your pot illustrations. They are joyous and whimsical.

Thank you! I think if we happened to make an east coast visit that aligned with this show it could be fun to go, though getting the pottery there is another can of worms..