Craft Fair Booth on Wheels: My Solo Vendor Setup That Fits a 6x10 Trailer
Hey makers, Brad here from My Simple Builds. Most of my craft fairs I set up alone, so I built my whole booth display on wheels. Everything rolls out of my 6×10 trailer, rolls into the tent, and my ornaments never come off the hooks. Here's how it's put together.
This isn't the right setup for everybody. It's what works for me as a solo vendor, and hopefully it gives you some ideas for yours.
Four Carts, One Trailer, Zero Unpacking
Four rolling carts, each 30 inches long, wrapped in slotted cedar planks that take slatwall hooks. They load straight into a 6×10 trailer with the inventory still on them, and line up inside a 10×10 tent in different layouts.
The Four-Cart Display System
| Part | What I use |
|---|---|
| Base | 4 Harbor Freight rolling carts (about $60 each when I caught them on sale) |
| Cart length | 30 in each, 10 ft total in a row |
| Display face | Cedar planks, each slotted to work like slatwall |
| Hooks | 4 in and 2 in slatwall hooks that slide right in |
| Display levels | 3: ornaments up top, signs and flags on the lower slats, magnets on an end cart |
| Trailer | 6 × 10 ft enclosed |
How I Built the Carts
- Flip the top tray. Each cart's top tray is installed upside down. Normally there'd be a handle on the side, so I left it off.
- Bolt the cedar to the back. The plank wall is bolted to the cart.
- Add a clasp to lower the top. The display drops down for travel, which leaves about 3 to 4 inches of clearance going into the trailer. Raise it, turn the clasp, and it's set.
- Cap the end carts. The two end carts have caps so the sides look finished.
- Use the space underneath. The lower shelves hold extra stock and supplies.
The biggest time-saver: I hang my ornaments once and leave them. A binder clip on each hook keeps them from bouncing off on the road, so there's no unpacking and re-hanging at every show.
Keeping It Put on Windy Days
Here in Illinois, fall shows get windy. Even weighted down, there are days I feel like I'm holding the tent in place. Don't skimp on weights.
- Clamp the carts together. Wind nudges them an inch or two out of line. Clamps keep the row straight.
- Strap the carts to the tent. It adds weight to the tent frame.
- Weight every leg. I run about 70 pounds on each tent leg at outdoor markets.
Indoor Markets
Indoors I usually book a two-booth space. Most indoor spots I get are 8×8, so I set up the carts and add tables beside them, which stretches my display to 16 to 20 feet depending on the space.
Lessons From a Few Seasons on the Road
- Build for one person. If you set up alone, everything should roll.
- Give your display height. Three levels pull eyes up and fit more product in the same footprint.
- Keep inventory on the display. Travel with it hung and clipped.
- Refresh the wood. After a few years of rolling around, mine are due for a new coat of stain.
Coming up this season: I've got display towers being built to add to the setup. I'll share them once they're done.
Watch the Walkthrough
These are the slatwall hooks I use on my cedar planks.
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