Unfortunatly, there are some harsh economic realities involved in renting a table at events like the BEMF. You have to man the table, staff doing so need accommodation and food, and are not producing work in your shop. If your shop is selling smaller instruments such as recorders and bagpipes you have a reasonable expectation of paying off the table, and can look forward to some increased interest in the shop in months to come. If your product is something more substantial, valued at the price of a used car, then its harder to find customers. Its hardest for the periodical or society to recover the cost of a table, eve when manned by volunteers.
IF you dont have a sale or two the table rent is a hefty uncompensated business expense. Then you have the time spent not building, the aching back from crashing on a friends floor, or the expensive hotel room; and the food moneys eating out. Retail stores selling early music and instruments have product that will appeal to thin wallets - new music, a tin whistle or plastic recorder, perhaps a reed or some lapping thread; as well as more substantial items for show or (rarely) actual sale to stimulate future interest. There are some few folk make a tour of the summer 'renaissance' festivals, and large events like the pennsic war (www.SCA.org, www.pennsic.org); but I suspect for the lutenist its events where the focus is on playing lute in ensemble where you have the best chance to survey instruments. -- Dana Emery To get on or off this list see list information at http://www.cs.dartmouth.edu/~wbc/lute-admin/index.html
