Many groups wonder how to find events where they can host a table or booth. Here are a few ideas to get your looking in the right direction…

If you are looking for some local community events, you can contact your Chamber of Commerce and the Visitor’s/ Convention Bureau for your area to get their calendars for the upcoming year. There may also be one on the state level that lists all sorts of annual festivals and events around the state. These will list any and all craft fairs, community festivals and other events coming up in the next year, and generally list the website or chairperson’s name for the event. These bureaus can help you get in touch with the coordinators to get your group registered, such as registering for a parade, or help you figure out what permits you might need to sell food items, crafted items and such at a festival.

Of course, every community seems to have their own festival. I’ve been to swamp cabbage festivals (celebrating the hearts of palms), sugar cane festivals, onion blooming festivals, beet festivals, and other events that I never thought someone would celebrate– but that’s the main festival for that community! Many communities also have Field Days or Summer festivals, music events, Harbor Fests or Town Days where your group can be a vendor. 

Sell food items such as hot dogs to support homeless dogs, or pizza for piggies/ puppies/ parrots, etc. where you sell pizza by
the slice. Don’t forget vegetarian options, like blooming onions,
candy apples, popcorn, etc. If animals will be at the event, or a
LOT of animal loving folks, sell pet treats or cookbooks with cutters for dogs, birds, cats, horses, etc. Sell pet-related merchandise like clothes for humans AND their pets, home decorations, quotes on magnets, decorated frames, paw paintings, and anything else you can think of. You can sell breed-specific items and things with your logo on them, or just generic I love animals sorts of things, like plaques with the phrase “Dogs leave footprints on your heart.”

If you’re looking for pet-specific events, like a Petrock music
event, major pet show, or National Homeless Animals’ Day event, you might need to network with other rescues in your state and in neighboring states. A lot of these events travel initially by word of mouth, but then they are also annual events, so remember when they were this year, and plan accordingly for next year to contact them EARLY to get involved! You can also make sure you are on the newsletter lists for ASPCA and HSUS as they tend to mention lots of the upcoming events, particularly national ones that you can celebrate in your own area, like June being adopt a cat month.

Once you’ve attended several functions like this, some festival
organizers might actually start looking FOR YOU to participate in their event! Remember that you bring something unique to the table! Having a pet related booth at an event, even if you’re not adopting out animals that day, is very unique for most events. Millions of households include animals, but so few booths at fairs and festivals cater to these animal lovers! Your booth could be the one!