A craft fair fundraiser brings local artisans, amateur creatives, and community members together to sell and buy unique, handmade items while supporting a cause or organization.
Craft fair fundraisers, or craft bazaars, often occur around major holidays like Christmas but can happen at any other time; spring and summer are also popular.
If you’re considering a craft fair fundraiser, you’ll want to ensure this fundraising idea is a financial success. That means you’ll need to combine clever planning and preparation with the right mix of products for sale. Fortunately, we’re here to explain how to do just that!
Planning your craft fair fundraiser
Early planning is crucial for hitting your goals with a craft fair fundraiser. Be sure the following are covered:
- Logistics—This includes the location, equipment, setup, and all the start-to-finish practical considerations.
- Budget and metrics—Identify your key goals for a successful fundraiser.
- Vendors—Seek and vet vendors who will help the bottom line.
- Registration—Consider ticket presales, booth rentals, capacity, and process.
Another way to boost your revenue is to leverage RaiseRight gift cards or online shopping links to purchase signage, materials, or concession supplies. Simply buy physical or eGift cards or shop online through your RaiseRight fundraiser, and you’ll earn up to 20% back for your cause!
Popular options like Target, Walmart, JOANN, Michaels, Sam's Club, Big Lots!, and Amazon are available, so you can purchase everything you need for your craft fair fundraiser and earn money while doing it.
7 easy crafts to sell for fundraising
When selling items at your craft fundraiser, prioritize price points. A few high-end, large-scale items can help make a visual splash, but try to ensure each booth or section has a balance of medium- and low-priced items, as these are more likely to sell.
Best-selling items are also items that:
- Are practical or make life easier
- Improve how a shopper is perceived
- Are easy to carry
Here’s another tip: If you plan to sell volunteer-made products rather than rely solely on vendor table rentals, take stock of your available talent pool. Assess your team's skills, then consider these easy crafts to sell for fundraising:
1. Reusable products
Environmentally-friendly items are a popular pitch for today’s eco-conscious shoppers, especially if they’re cute or luxurious. Consider making:
- Waxed food wraps and bags
- Reusable facial wipes
- Wool dryer balls
2. Craft kits
Keep in mind that fellow crafters are a big slice of craft fair attendees! Kits are a great option for those who prefer to do vs. buy and are excellent gifts that offer experience over product. Simple examples include:
- Paper beads
- Lego jewelry
- Snow globes
- Crochet flowers
3. Hair accessories
For crafting newbies, hair bows, scrunchies, or headbands are easy to make and popular at fairs, especially in sizes for babies or toddlers. Go a step further and offer pet-and-owner matching accessories, a current trend suggested by Pinterest.
4. State silhouettes and sayings
Crafts based on home states are hot sellers. These can take the form of silhouettes, state nicknames, or popular traditions (Minnesota hot dish, anyone?) made into:
- Christmas ornaments
- Cutting boards
- Screen-printed greeting cards or t-shirts
This is a particularly easy option if you have access to a laser cutter or engraver.
5. Misprints and oddballs
Who doesn’t love a clearance section? Invite your vendors to set out their test prints, interesting errors, or even material scraps to attract bargain-basement crafters and collectors.
6. Popular characters
There’s always a market for crafts based on established fandoms (Marvel, DC, Harry Potter, Pokémon, etc.). If you have an artist who can create original art based on a popular character or show, it can be turned into a variety of products available at different price points, such as:
- Screen-printed t-shirts
- Posters or mini-posters
- Greeting cards
- Sticker, magnet, and button sets
7. Loyalty and local flavor
Consider how you can motivate buyers with a sense of belonging. This could mean selling craft products that feature:
- City or town photography of iconic architecture or bridges
- School colors
- Your unique church or school silhouette
- Activity imagery, such as sports equipment or musical icons
More ways to boost craft fair fundraiser earnings
You don't have to rely solely on craft fundraising ideas to meet your revenue goals. Additional ways to earn extra money at your craft fair include:
- Having an on-site concession stand or food trucks
- Hosting ticketed classes by skilled artisans
- Hosting raffles with prizes on display
- Setting up a face painting or temporary tattoo booth
Augment your fundraising throughout the year with RaiseRight
Craft fair fundraisers can be highly successful, but why stop there? Add RaiseRight to your fundraising strategy to supplement your craft fundraiser and earn money year-round!
RaiseRight is a straightforward, sustainable fundraiser you can implement 24/7, 365 days a year without demanding donations or volunteer time from your supporters. All they need to do is purchase the items or services already in their budgets—from gas to groceries to dining out and more—through your RaiseRight program.
Ready to start earning?
Here are some next steps to get the ball rolling:
- Learn more about how RaiseRight works.
- Download The RaiseRight Fundraising Playbook and share it with others in your organization.
- Start a free program by completing a short, online enrollment form.
If your organization is already earning with RaiseRight, you just need your enrollment code to create an account and begin fundraising right away.
