Sugar Creek Update

This weekends show in the newly redeveloped "Uptown Normal" was a great time. The weather was acceptable ( It was hot - it's also July in Illinois - it's supposed to be hot ) - without big storms or huge wind gusts. The crowds of people where very knowledgeable about what they were looking for ( I even saw a couple with a tape measure - looking to fill a space on their wall - artists love seeing this as they know they are looking to buy).

I opted for a premium booth and was lucky enough to be on the circle ( a new feature at the show - a round-about that connects North and Beaufort Streets ) which was an excellent call. The show has always been tight ( not any room between booths - your space is exactly ten feet wide) and when you are on a street that vendors on both sides and then factor in the people ( many of which will run into friends and stop and talk and slow traffic even more ) it can get stifling.

Your neighbors can also be a negative in a tight show. I was very fortunate to have two of the coolest neighbors in the place. Tim and Pam Frye ( Ceramics ) were on my right ( and buffered me from a not so nice neighbor) a wonderful couple - nice to talk to during slow times (not many of those). On the left was Anne Landers (Melted Glass ) - She showed up late - sold out both days does a great impersonation of a deaf person and kept The Woman and I entertained most of the day.

D P Dough's ( a restaurant that the owner actually came out and spoke to and delivered food to us - we love that ) had the most wonderful menu of unique calzones (they are great to eat at an art show as they don't get all over - unlike a funnel cake that once your done it looks like you've been cutting up a kilo of coke behind your booth) Between the three booths we tried half the menu and didn't find anything that we didn't like.


All in all - it was your average Sugar Creek experience - A great show!