Wednesday, September 18, 2013

Florida Weather - Tips

If you live in Florida then you know how CRAZY and unpredictable our weather can be… I went on our group and asked for some tips to share with some of the new, inexperienced, or just curious on how to deal…

"Always bring lots of water. You can use the water bottles to weigh down sidings for your tent if they're the kind with pockets at the bottom. In regards to dealing with rain, I always keep my bins I use to transport product under my table so if it starts to get really gnarly, I can put things away momentarily. Again, sidewalls for the tent are a good idea. If you want them open, just attach them at the top in the morning, then roll them up like a curtain (velcro loops are great for this). If it starts to rain, drop them down and it will help keep your stuff dry."

"Best bet is to have a tent with side walls in case it rains. I would also suggest weights in all four corners of your tent and possibly one in the middle, especially if there will be high winds. You can use a large bucket filled with sand, as I have for the middle of the tent. Having your tables up on risers or off the ground helps with rain run off. And I'd always keep a towel with you- to dry off anything that may get wet."

"One of the biggest things you can do for yourself is to set up your entire booth in your back yard for a day. If it’s a breezy/rainy day, that is even better. You’ll get a real feel for how your booth needs to be laid out as well as any difficulties you might encounter with your displays." 

"I work outside - I keep a pair of those plastic 'crock' style shoes in the trunk. when it starts to look like the rain is about to come down a quick switcheroo because the last thing I would want to worry about is getting my shoes/socks/feet all wet n gunky if I have to worry about taking care of business! I also keep a rain jacket in the same bag for those cooler days when I don't want to be so wet!"

"For Rain: Sidewalls, sidewalls, sidewalls. At shows I always have enough tarps and bungees to throw over the display if tent fails. Pool noodles shaped into U shapes and tucked into the canopy framework can keep water from pooling on the tent top and collapsing the tents. Brings a pole or broom to push water off the canopy if it does pool.

For Wind: But never use bungees on your tent anchors cause if they snap they can injure someone. Ratcheting tie downs are great, having an extra couple is better so if the wind whips up you can tie down to an immovable object like a tree or sign post.

For Heat: A battery operated fan is fabulous, also a great way to keep bugs away. A wet washcloth kept in a ziplock in your cooler is a nice fresh way to cool down. Wet wipes are also a nice way to keep fresh.

For Sun: sunscreen, a big floppy hat, and more sunscreen.

For Cold: A portable indoor/outdoor propane heater kept out of customer pathways. Dress in layers so you can layer off and layer up as the day get warmer and then cooler."






1 comment:

  1. Great post! So helpful to everyone who does outdoor craft fairs and arts shows! The Blog looks great!

    ReplyDelete