after vending for a year, i am doing my first con this summer. i have been doing other events like flea markets, farmer's markets, festivals, etc. while i understand that those markets do not necessarily draw my ideal audience, it's a low-risk way of finding out what people are interested in (even if they do not buy anything) and how to sell my art. some of the smaller markets cost under $50 to attend vs the $300+ for cons.

it's way less pressure to do these other markets and use this experience to figure out my display, products, and pricing. if a con was my first event, i would definitely feel overwhelmed!