If someone asked me today, the day after Pentecost, what the three-day medieval market in Münzenberg was like, what would I answer?
Honestly, I still don’t know.
A lot has changed and there was also a negative surprise for me. But let’s start in order.
1st market day
In a happy mood we set off for Münzenberg. Everything is already set up and we just need to get comfortable. But the good mood quickly disappeared. As soon as you enter the market area you can see masses of baskets (all brown). A thick one? forms and a bad premonition arises. But first unload and prepare the tents.
Then we set off over the hill in the direction where we had seen baskets en masse. And that’s right: brown goods spread out in masses over tens of square meters. I deliberately decided not to take a picture.
And with your own basketry you have no chance against cheaply produced goods. With every cheap basket that visitors carried past our stand, the organizer’s apparent lack of understanding towards the small dealer, namely me, increased. Nothing against another basket maker on the market selling his wares, but you can’t beat truckloads of Eastern European basketry.
With this negative impression, the first day of the market was of course over and frustrated, we closed at 9 p.m. and went home.
2nd market day
With the knowledge from the first day, we went back to Münzenberg early. Baskets sold so far = zero. What was a little fun was the children’s braiding course. But I earned next to nothing from it because the courses offered were almost at cost price.
Comments on the situation:
“That this is even allowed by the organizer”
“I also noticed the basket dealer’s stand right behind the entrance: the baskets were lined up carelessly and overpriced for my taste! There’s no comparison with your offer!”
But it doesn’t help at all. Despite the positive response from visitors, acquaintances and friends, we remained sitting on my baskets and the mood was more than depressed. It didn’t help today that every now and then a child or adult found themselves wanting to weave a basket.
On the second day, too, we closed at 9 p.m. and we declared the market day over. The motto was just get away and go home.
3rd market day
What else can I write: The situation corresponded to the first two days. Constantly trying not to let on to visitors can be quite tiring.
In the evening we tried to make it clear to the organization that there was no tithe from me. However, I cannot judge whether the organization met with understanding. A tithe from a wholesaler is certainly more lucrative than none from me as a one-person business.
In the end they were happy to be able to start dismantling at 7 p.m. A good hour later we said goodbye to our neighbors and headed home.
Conclusion of the three market days
In 2016, under the above-mentioned circumstances, I will only take part as a children’s entertainment event if I am accepted again, which I doubt at the moment.
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