Previous Event:  2009 Manteca Crossroads Street Faire, April 2008

A lot of people, but few buy anything.  Not a good profitable show for most of the vendors.
Tire-kickers, teenagers pushing strollers, overweight welfare moochers.  Jerry Springer would love this place.

The annual Pumpkin Fair presented by the Manteca Sunrise Kiwanis, will be held on the first full Saturday and Sunday of October in downtown Manteca from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. The Street Fair portion complete with pumpkin patch, kids zone, truck show, car show, motorcycle run, three stages and over 150 vendors will once again be located in downtown Manteca near Library Park.

THE REVIEW.  Once again, the organizers put on a good event as they always do.  The people came out but they did not buy.  Great weather; rained last year.  Lots of vendors and plenty of food.  But the people just did not buy. They had no money.  They all traded in their clunkers and bought new wheels and now they got their cars repossessed.  Some of them just walked around and got fatter while others socialized or played with vendor's items.  What else are they going to do?  No money here or anyplace else in the valley.  Economy is completely shot along 99 from Marysville to The Grapevine.  Economically disadvantaged area and people just go through the motions.  Tire-kickers, teenagers pushing strollers, overweight welfare moochers.... they're all there.  Few people carrying bags.  Mostly people just walking aimlessly with no real destination in mind.  Overall, the people enjoyed the event; the vendors died in agony.

This event is located in one of the more financially strapped areas in the state of California.  Shows here attract a huge number of vendors taking advantage of the inexpensive booth spaces.  Anything goes in these shows, Arts and Crafts, Commercial vendors, food, non-profit, etc.  Unfortunately the streets are infiltrated with a number of non-profit organizations that disrupt the flow of the crowd in the streets, obstructing sales for a good number of vendors.  I realize that this is a great opportunity for them to solicit funds and membership.  At the Street Faire in April (read review) I had a hospital next to me with it's people jumping out onto the path of visitors and sticking brochures on the edges of their noses.  Additionally, I had another group called the Manteca Cowboys who were complete idiots as they would actually come up to my booth and disturb my customers.  Real class people, huh?  Can you imagine how these people treat the kid's in this town.  No respect.  Just don't give a damm.  These people think that they are a bunch of  bullies.  Usually people that go pushing people around are making up for the lack of sexual prowness.  See graphic below in 'The Lighter Side'

October 3.  Arrived just at the break of day around 7:15.  After checking in, I was taken to my space by one of the volunteers on a bicycle to my spot on an adjacent street.  As I began unloading there was a guy directing the traffic (vendors) going down the street.  He told me to 'unload my vehicle and then go park.'  "Well," I said to him.  "I'm here by myself today and I've got a lot of stuff."  He then volunteered to help me and I think we had the van unloaded completely in about 8 minutes.  Super.  Off to a good day.  I had everything up on the sidewalk, except for the canopy.  The 18 heavy grids that I had brought were alongside several buckets and leaning sideways.  I popped open the canopy and got things underway.  I was done by 10:00, the official starting time.  Perfect.

FIVE STAR SERVICE TO the organizers of this event.  You check in and then proceed to another area where they are waiting to take you to your spot.  Every vendor that comes in is personally assisted to their space.  Most organized even that I have seen, but not unlike other events, there does appear to be one problem in all of this.  You just can't make the horse drink the water.  The promoter's do just about do everything right.  All that's missing is the Continental Breakfast.

THE WEATHER was pretty decent.  Temps in the 70s and sunny with occasional breezes.  Supposed to have strong winds around the coast and hills.  Last year, we had rain, which was the earliest that I can remember.  It did rain in Southern California, though.

HAD A WANNABE-MINI-TIRE-KICKER come into the booth with his friend.  Wearing baggy jeans with the crotch down to the knees. Picks up one of my wooden swords.  I told him 'that's eight dollars.'   So, he says 'Huh' to me.  I look at him.  "Eight Dollars."  "What?"   "The sword.....  it's eight dollars."  He put the sword down, pulled up his pants and walked out with his friend.

  



So, around 11:00am, it came time for me to go to the bathroom and then get something to eat.  I was alone and needed somebody to watch my booth.  I went next door and asked them if I could borrow the 'little guy' who happened to be a 4-5 year old boy who was spending the day with them. Cute kid, but asks a lot of questions.  I asked him to sit in the chair and watch my booth and I would pay him $1.00.  He obligingly did.

  

I came back and saw him almost dozing off on the chair.  I looked at him.  "Hey, by any chance do you work for the Post Office?  NOTE: Mail volume down. Postal Management has been forcing employees to go on 'standby' which is where employees go to a room, sit down and do nothing for a specified period of time.  Uhhhhhh.  You don't believe me?  I think that you had better read this.

THAT WAS MY SECURITY GUARD and I 'utilized' his services two more times, giving him two more dollar bills.  When I came  back the first time, his mom told me that he told one of the customers 'Don't touch.'   Neat, huh?  I gave a Kirk Gibson fist punch for that one.  (the crippled ballplayer hit a game-winning home run for the Dodgers in the World Series and as he rounded second base pumped his fist several times.  This has been shown on TV millions of times.  This is one of the great emotional moments in sports.  But A's fans do not think so)

HAVING ACCUMATING THE SUM of three dollars, this 'little guy' walked over and grabbed one of my wooden snakes, handing me the three dollars.  I really didn't want to accept it, but he really insisted.  I wanted to give him the snake for free.

PHILLY CHEESESTEAK.  Really had to get something to eat, so I went with it.  Paid $8.00 and it turned out to be one of the most expensive PCS I have ever had at an event.  Quite a bit of meat, etc in that roll.  It was okay.  Not bad.  Maybe give it a 5.3 rating.  Kind of sloppy looking, huh?  However, not one of the better one's I have had.  Just plain 'okay.'



MORE FOOD.  Went over and grabbed an afternoon snack around 3:00pm.  Of course, I paid my one dollar to my helper again.  I walked over to a food vendor that was selling garlic fries and asked him 'how much' since they didn't have t prices listed.  The guy said 'five dollars.'  How much for the mushrooms?  'Five dollars.'  I stood there for a few seconds trying to decide which one to get. Undecided.  Finally he said, "I can give you a combo plate."  My eyes opened up. "Sold," I said to him.  That sounds great.  "Five dollars?"  He said 'Yah.'  I said 'Yah.'  Wasn't too bad, but the fries were lacking in garlic.  Rings were okay.  I saw that Lockforde Sausage had a booth there, so that will be my lunch on Sunday.  They had a good number of food booths and there were enough to support the crowd.  They were located in a parking lot across from me and I didn't see any huge lines.  So obviously, the people weren't eating much of the food.

Sales were extremely slow until early afternoon.  Had a pretty large crowd there from just before noontime all the way up to around 4:30.  No problem with that.  However, once again, a very small proportion of them were buying anything at all.  

TAKING PICTURES AGAIN.  This one was weird.  There was a group of people... organization, workers or whatever that came over to my booth.  Maybe 10 people in all.  Didn't buy anything but just stood outside gawking at my coolie hats.  Three of the guys wearing white shirts and ties were trying on the hats.  When I saw them line up I began running over just as I saw the camera popping up.  They were then admonished by me for doing this.  But, I blew it.  I was the one that should have been taking pictures.  I mean, this would have made a great shot.  Three religious and real serious looking 18-20 yr old guys standing there with coolie hats on.  What I could have done with that shot!!  Blew it.  Just didn't think quick enough.

SPEAKING OF BLOWING IT?  The night before, I was unable to locate my cell phone.  I really don't use it for much more than emergencies and have got one of those pay as you go plans on an old Verizon.  So, I had to go the day without it.  While I was driving, I had recalled that I had left the phone on.  Just not thinking sometimes as all I would have to have done to find it was to call the number.  Duhhh.  That's the only thing I like about cell phones.  If you misplace it and if you have it on, you can call that number and you'll hear it ring.  Happens occasionally to me.  But, I usually don't leave my phone on. 

THERE ARE SOME REALLY BAD NON-PROFITS HERE who are quite inconsiderate and I always have problems with them when they are close to me.  Goes with the territory.   I had these people next to me selling pumpkin pie.  Spaces were 12 feet wide but they kept on standing in front of my left side, blocking off the aisle that I had place a lot of my bags on grids and blocking two feet of grid space out front.  Even had one buy holding a big-3 foot wide sign.  Four times I had to walk over and show them the markings on the ground where their space ended.  Nincompoops.  They were shouting all day long... "Pumpkin Pies.... $2.00 for one slide."  Can you believe they even yelled out "COSTCO pies $2.00 per slice."   Uh, or should I say 'DUH' in this case.  I don't think that is a good selling point, you know?  I'll tell ya what....  let's give them pies away.  What dya think?



TOO BAD YOU WON'T HAVE ONE WITH BIRDS ON IT said one customer after looking at my bags.  "I would have bought it."  Yeah.  Right.    How about in orange?  Elephants?

Sunday, Oct 4

Arrived around 9:20 and parked in a lot closer to our booth with the intention of pulling up in back of our booth later in the day to load up.  Coming down the street would be hectic at 6:00pm when the show ends and I had pretty much intended on getting out of there as early as possible.

I undid the bungies on my canopy and then took a walk around the event.  Most of the booths were still closed.  There are no early birds and there are no worms.  I returned around 9:45 and undid my covers and opened for business.  What business?

SUNDAY CROWDS are always late and today was to be no exception.  Only had one sale by the time noon rolled around.  The people began arriving and didn't do a heck of a lot other than just walk around and get fatter.

LOCKEFORD SAUSAGE was located just a little ways from our booth and I took a lunch-time trip over there to pick up one of their Brats.  Very good deal for five bucks.  Now tell me, where else can you get a sausage for $5.00?  Best deal around.



Here's some shots of our neighbors.  Booth selling really nice halloween stuff next to us.  They were excellent neighbors.

  
 
'

OUR SALES WERE WORSE than Saturday, as was everybody else's.  This was a very bad show for the vendors as the people just were not buying, period.  Food lines were small all day long.  The organizer's of the event did little wrong.  They put on a good show with a good amount of vendors and food.  Brought in the crowds; no problem with that.  But they just weren't buying.  Can't do much more than that. When is all this going to end.  Not with Obama around, that's for sure.  You guys voted him in, not me.

HERE YA GO.  13-year old comes into my booth and points to the sword sitting on the table.  He points at it.  "Is that real?" he asks me.  I look at him.  "Is what real?"  The boy looks over at me.  "The sword.....  is it real?"   I then tell him, "There's no sword there."  The kid begins to wonder.  He asks me again.  "Is that real?"  I look over at him and start glancing around on the table.  "What do you mean, real? I don't see anything.  I don't know what you are talking about."    He left.  That's what you get for asking people dumb ass questions.  Can't ya tell the darn thing is made from wood? 

IF YOU TOLD ME THERE WAS 35,000 here for the weekend, I'd believe you.  There were  bodies all over the place.  Overall, they were pretty well-behaved and not an unruly crowd.  I'm sure that they enjoyed themselves except for the kids who's parents bad-mouthed them when they asked if they could buy something.  Three dollars, people.  Come on, get a life.

DOG vs DOG.  Did see a rather significant number of the area's canine population milling about sniffing one another's behinds, etc.  Every time I saw a dog in my booth, I run over and check for wet spots.  None this weekend.  Don't quite know what I'll do when I find one, though.

MANTECA MUST BE THE FLY CAPITAL OF THE WORLD.  Every time I sat down, I had flies buzzing all around me.  Biting into my food, a couple flies take a nosedive into it.  Buzz my ears, zoom past my nose.  All over the place.  Maybe one of our vendors can come up with a fly shooter or something? You know, what was once the lower middle-class has now transitioned into the upper lower-class.  Economy taking a lot of people down and I believe more and more people are  believing that it's not going to turn around and are seriously buckling up those purses and wallets.  I see less and less spending as time goes on.  At least they are going outside to the festivals and to places where you don't spend money.  Maybe some of these people came for the baby stroller races or the sidewalk skateboarding competition?



TIME 6:00:01.  Gone.  Told my neighbors that I would be out of there at 6:00.  Just happened to look at my watch as I was stepping into my van.  Show ended at 6:00 and I was outa there one second later.  I was heading home on 580 and was just going through Pleasanton.  Traffic was slowing to a crawl and I just couldn't imagine going through 20 miles of this.  After about a mile, I saw flashing lights on the other side of the highway.  There had been an accident and traffic heading that way was virtually stopped.  I grabbed hold of my camera and got it ready as I got closer.  Traffic started speeding up in front of me and as I looked to my left I saw several emergency vehicles stopped and there was a car flipped over on its side resting up against the guard rail.  I held up my camera and clicked it as I went past, hoping that I got a good shot.  You know, it's pretty hard trying to take a picture while you are driving a car going 30MPH and you are close behind the  vehicle in front and there's another guy in back ready to go up your butt.  I got home and took a look at the shot.  You don't see it here, do you?  I missed the shot.  Oh well.  I tried.  Good bye until next week.  I hope you have enjoyed reading this.

Here's some other recent shows you might be interested in reading about.

       

         
                                THE LIGHTER SIDE
           A not-so-serious look at this week's festival and not to be taken seriously