Aren't Craft Fairs "Old Hat"?
If you think of craft fairs as all Jam and Lace then you may need to think again. Partly because the art of lace making seems to be dying out partly bacause may of the craft fairs and indeed the crafters themselves have managed to update them selves.
Foods.Many of the larger craft fairs have a Food Halls / Marquee following on a long tradition for home made food being sold at craft fairs. However these foods have now moved on. Instead of the older woman selling the odd pot of Jam we now have larger businesses selling the foods the produce direct to the public. This business maybe a single bee keeper selling his honey based products or Lime Tree Pantry selling their wide range of pies. You will also typically find a wide range of cheeses, organic meat, specialist coffee / tea, wine etc
Craft Items
Whilst most crafters have crafters have retained their traditional techniques they now seem to produce a wider range of items, some which are decorative, some practicle and n both. Remeber what yu are buying is often unique, most crafters could produce two items exactly the same even if they wanted to. The grain in the wood will differ, the blend of colours in the glass will be different etc. Because of these differences you may need to take a long time chosing the exact piece you want.
Many people buy objects to fit in a specific spot in their home and many crafters are well versed in meeting the needs of the home interior designer. Some organisers have gone as far as renaming their shows "Craft and Design". A coffee table can be a unique piece of "craft" as well as being a practicle addition to a room.
One of the huge benefits about looking at items at Craft Fairs is your ability to order items which aren't on the stand. Need a similar coffee table but 12" shorter, want a special sized hall mirror, need a set of wine glasses with a special colour in it, need a set of 7 chairs rather than 6? Many of the crafters are happy to take commission work.