08/13/2026
Dear Market/Event Coordinators:
We have done events from the tiniest blink-and-you'll-miss-it town market to large multi-day festival and expos with hundreds to thousands of attendees over the last five years. We have seen the difference in demographics and sales with a curated vendor lineup compared to free-for-all vendors added in to fill spaces.
We have watched coordinators scream at vendors for simple questions or after accidentally setting up in the wrong spot because a coordinator gestured to a general unmarked spot.
We have overheard vendors being rude to customers and other vendors who continued to get welcomed back to a market because they were besties with the coordinator.
We have been unofficial on-site coordinators taking time away from setting up our own booth because a market coordinator was never on time, nor organized enough to create a smooth flow for load-in.
We have arrived to expo halls and had zero information on where to set up and volunteers assigned to help with the event who were moments from bursting out in tears because they didn't know either and there wasn't a coordinator on site.
When markets run like this, the "good" vendors begin to disappear over time.
If the income is good, but the attitude and lack of organization of a coordinator is terrible, we won't be back. It could be the best event of the year.
No amount of money is worth sacrificing one's morals, ethics, and mental health repeatedly. No one talks about the burnout vendors can have from this, especially new vendors.
With how many markets and events that are going on every weekend, vendors have so many more options these days to set up at a new location. Depending on the vendor, this can greatly affect foot traffic.
If there's a downslide in vendor attendance, quality of vendors, and foot traffic, take note. Analyze.
Sometimes it's not us, it's you. 😬
You may think posting a vendor call will bring you all the vendors to replace the ones you lost, and it probably will.
A few questions you need to ask yourself:
- Are you putting in the effort to build a strong and welcoming community of vendors that support one another and wants to see each other succeed?
- Do you (or a designated person/team) plan to be on-site, on-time, organized and professional for load in, the full event, and break down?
- Do you have the customer service, communication, and overall workflow skills to do the behind the scenes side of reviewing applications, following up with vendors, and designing a map that makes sense and is safe for all vendors [including food trailers] and attendees?
- Can you remain neutral and logical when it comes to solving problems between vendors or patrons to find a solution that both parties feel like they have been listened to and comfortable with?
- Can you truly dedicate the time (or pay someone else) to spread public awareness of an event in the community and not solely rely on a couple social media posts and vendors to market to their followers?
- Does the thought of constructive criticism and receiving feedback make you excited to go back to the drawing board and test new ideas?
If the answer is no to any of these, find a new pastime.
We vendors talk. We are brutally honest to each other to save others from the mistakes we have made in the past. There are even groups out there where vendors can review events and chat about coordinators who missed the mark. 👁️👄👁️
The best relationships are built on mutual trust, respect, and communication.
If you want us vendors, be a solid Director of Chaos.
Sincerely,
Kate 💚
