Heat Wave!

We have to become creative in our quest to beat the heat in “The Inferno of Summer.” In my new state of Massachusetts, I have joined a local Farmers Market which begins at noon. It was our third market in MA. It was SO hot (86 degrees) and SO humid (1,000%)!

“How hot and humid was it?!” screams the audience.

It was so hot and humid that…

By 12:30 pm, I was sweating so much that as my body melted, my chest drooped, so much so, that I could trace the perimeter of our booth space with my boobs, imprinting the grass with lines of sweat. The ants were happy. They thought they were vacationing in Cabo San Lucas, wading in the salty ocean.

We knew exactly where to set up shop and here’s what I do to keep the sun from invading our booth as much as possible:

Walls Down, Hands Down. (Personal preference). Heat is heat and it’s everywhere. We’re already standing in an oven, so why enclose the booth to become even more toasty with no air flow? I know: You’re thinking of shade. I’ll concede. Maybe one wall to block out the sun, for a nanosecond.

We have an awning. Actually, it’s “The God’s Gift Of An Awning.” (It’s worth looking into, and selling your First Born for. Hopefully your canopy manufacturer produces one.) It won’t derail the heat, but it will afford shade to the front of your booth. It will give you “The Illusion of Cool” in so many ways, and on so many levels. Another benefit: customers are more inclined to stop by and make purchases.

Ask the market manager for a location (space) that faces in a specific cardinal direction: North is optimal. West for early day start time markets. East for late day start time markets. South facing: No. Nope. Nada!

The Buddy System: Get up close and personal with your neighboring vendors, who are on positioned on either side of your booth. Even if you have to sell your soul. Have the canopies practically touching each other - canopy leg next to canopy leg. Be assertive. Why? Besides being “The Queen or King of All Things Cottage,” it affords you side shade for your booth and theirs. I’m in a new market where we are spaced so far apart a semi can drive through. This past week was my third market, and I got me some shaded sides. Once my neighboring vendors understood the idea, they were on board.

Coolers. Ice packs. Fans. The Wicked Witch of the West. Whatever it takes.

Reconfigure your booth design for more shade if it realistically helps and prevents you from curling up into a ball in the corner of your booth. We have our tables set up across the front of the canopy. When the sun reaches high noon, we’ll also move our tables deeper under the canopy by 2’ by 3’.

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At one point the market manager dropped by and told me that I "was glistening.” I shook my head in disbelief and hydroplaned into the next booth!

Photo of our previous market set up in Colorado and “The God’s Gift of An Awning." We have since changed things up a bit, design-wise.)