In its 3rd year running, Smyrna Pride Festival, hosted by local nonprofit Smyrna is Fabulous, was a blast to attend and vend! This summer Smyrna Pride featured a larger outdoor market than ever, located in Smyrna Market Village.
Overall, I was very satisfied with how Smyrna Pride went! I made back the booth cost, and pride events have a great energy to them. There was a heat wave that weekend, so all things considered, I think sales performed as well as they could!
Smyrna is Fabulous were wonderful to work with. Volunteers came around to make sure we vendors had what we needed! Water refills, bathroom breaks, etc. Honestly, I really think those volunteers probably saved me from any heat exhaustion!!! Before the event, Smyrna is Fabulous was clear in communication, and even scheduled an online video call for staff and vendors. The only other event I’ve had that did a video call beforehand was Atlanta Pride 2023, it makes me wonder if this is a common strategy for pride events?
As an outdoor June market, perhaps my biggest challenge was heat. I’d learned from my experience at Marietta the Gathering and got a second tent wall, since they’re so helpful in blocking sunlight and wind! However, in hot weather there is a risk that the walls will act as insulators that heat up your tent. By mid afternoon I removed one wall entirely to allow more of a breeze through. I fortunately didn’t suffer any heat stroke, but I fear I may have gotten close for comfort. I’ve definitely put a heavy-duty portable fan on my shopping list.
Another new outdoor environmental obstacle I faced, a sewer grate! The grate was fairly large, but I was able to keep it entirely to one corner. Fortunately, the weather had been dry so there was minimal water or smell coming from it. Pinning up my tent walls so that they were about a foot off the ground allowed for enough of a breeze that the smell was almost imperceptible. But, I’m definitely going to keep an eye out for sewer grates in maps in the future!
Despite grate gate, my location did end up being lucky. I heard from others later, that an anti-protest group had showed up on the opposite end of the Market Village and were harassing attendees and vendors with noise! Allegedly, police officers were there to make sure the protestors didn’t come into the event, but the barricades were right next to some of the vendor tents. I heard at least one of the Smyrna is Fabulous members was there, instructing police officers, and asking why the anti-protestors couldn’t be forced further from the barricades. Unfortunately, an arrest was made when a young person threw a bottle at one of the anti-protestors. I haven’t been able to find any reporting on what happened online to corroborate these stories! But I hope that young person is okay.
Sadly, anti-protestors are a real common risk with pride events. I’m hoping Smyrna is Fabulous and the City of Smyrna learn from this year, to make future events more safe for attendees and vendors.
Billie’s Vendor Rating
| Live DJ | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ |
| Foot Traffic | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ |
| Attendee Vibes | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ |
| Volunteers | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ |
| Restrooms | ⭐⭐⭐ |
| Heat | ⭐ |
In summary, as a queer artist vendor, I’d recommend Smyrna Pride Festival. I’m sure the lovely folks at Smyrna is Fabulous have big plans for the future. Just be mindful of that infamous Georgia summer heat.
Leave a Reply