Diving into the world of selling baked goods at craft fairs can be both exciting and rewarding. Whether you’re an experienced home baker or just starting out, setting up a booth at a craft fair is a fantastic way to share your delicious creations with a wider audience. However, success at these events requires more than just mouth-watering treats. From ensuring food safety to creating an inviting booth, there are several key elements to consider. This guide will walk you through the essentials, including obtaining your Food Safe Certification, gathering the necessary baking and table supplies, setting up a Square Reader for seamless credit and debit card payments, and finding the perfect craft fairs to showcase your baked goods. Let’s get started on turning your passion for baking into a thriving craft fair venture!

Food Safe Certification

While planning out what Craft Fairs and Markets to attend I implore you to obtain your food-safe certification in your home Province. Better to be safe than sorry when it comes to selling any food.

You can learn more about what food certification is required by clicking on your province from the list below:

• British Columbia
• Alberta
• Saskatchewan
• Manitoba
• Ontario
• Quebec
• New Brunswick
• Nova Scotia
• Prince Edward Island
• Newfoundland and Labrador

Table Decoration

Nice table decorations at a holiday craft fair or market are crucial as they attract visitors and create a festive and inviting atmosphere. They’ll help you showcase your crafts more effectively, enhancing the overall presentation and appeal of the products. Moreover, well-decorated tables can boost sales by making the shopping experience more enjoyable and memorable for customers.

The decorations that I felt provided me the:

• Spandex Table Cloth – This simple spandex table cloth from Amazon was perfect for the Costco table I already had. It immediately made my table look professional.
• Signage from Staples – I ordered a poster from Staples and then put it in a simple frame. I then propped it up on my table for immediate visibility.
• Plates and tiers – I’d recommend Ikea for finding plates and tiers that will allow you to showcase your goods.

Square Reader for Credit Card and Debit Payments

The square reader allowed me to easily accept credit card and Interac payments at all of the craft fairs and markets I attended. All you need is your phone with an internet connect.

Finding Craft Fairs

When you’re first getting started, schools and community centers are excellent venues to dip your toes into the world of selling baked goods. These local institutions often host events, such as school fairs, community gatherings, and holiday bazaars, that provide a welcoming environment for new vendors. These venues are often more affordable and less competitive than larger craft fairs, making them ideal for honing your selling skills and perfecting your booth setup.

• Schools – I recommend scouring Facebook for craft fair groups that will advertise upcoming school craft fairs, markets and carnivals. With schools you could find Back to School, Holiday and End of School craft fairs.
• Community Centrers – Your local community center is a great resource for craft fairs and markets. Follow their social feeds and sign up to their newsletters to be notified of any upcoming events.

For years, friends and family have been urging me to sell my gluten-free baked goods, but the thought of turning my hobby into a business always felt daunting. This September, however, I decided to take the plunge and transform my passion into a venture. I booked three craft fairs across the Lower Mainland, obtained my Food Safe Level 1 certification, and invested in decorations, supplies, and a Square reader to prepare for my debut. Here’s how I did with my thoughts on whether I would do it again.

Markets I attended

Mom’s Market – Holiday Market @ Site B – Port Moody – November 5, 2023
My first market was my biggest cost, with a $300 table cost. I made about 300 baked items for the Holiday Market not knowing how many people would show up and worrying about not having enough product. Unfortunately, the event wasn’t very well attended, and only ended up just breaking even on my table cost. The event was held before Remembrance Day and I don’t think many people were yet in the Holiday mindset.

Sold ~70 items.

Laurel Place Craft & Bake Sale – Surrey – November 17, 2023
From my attendance at the Mom’s Holiday Market, a visitor invited me to the Laurel Place Craft & Bake Sale. I had a long break between my next craft fair and thought why not give it a try? It was a lovely event aimed at residents and workers around the Surrey Memorial Hospital.

Sold ~80 items.

École des Pionniers Marché d’hiver (Winter Market) – Coquitlam – December 7, 2023
Our friends in our townhouse complex have two girls who attend French school at École des Pionniers in Coquitlam. Their oldest begged me to attend and sell my cookies. As someone who doesn’t speak French, I felt this would be incredibly challenging. Never the less I decided to take the plunge.

Sold ~60 items.

Porter Street Elementary Holiday Craft Fair – Coquitlam – December 10, 2023
My final craft fair of the year was at Porter Street Elementary School in December. The event was well set up with vendors encouraged to visit the night before to set up their tables as doors were set to open at 8 am. I ended up selling about what I expected with not many cookies left over. The only drawback of the event was that the main attraction was pancake breakfast with Santa. After a sugary breakfast, not many people were interested in my sweet treats.

Sold ~90 items.

Would I do this again?

Reflecting on my journey, I’ve learned a tremendous amount about running a small business and the ins and outs of holiday craft markets. I refined my approach to preparation, learning to better gauge demand and reducing my baked goods from an initial 300 per event to just over 100. Beyond the sales, the most rewarding part has been the connections I’ve made, gaining followers on Instagram and receiving special orders that continue to this day. Come August/September I may get that itch to give it another try. If I do it will be a focus on schools as kids just love cookies!