In two weeks, I'll be the only cake artist at a food festival. I'll have a 6" table but was just notified that we are not allowed to hang anything on the wall. Can anyone please help me figure out how to best utilize this space?
I'm going to be in a very visible spot by a window, so I really want to make it "pop".

I'd like to bring dummies and samples, but I'm not sure how much stuff will fit on a 6" table. I'm planning to put my samples on a covered tote (as an extra table). I have no idea how I'll display my pictures without wall space. I had planned to blow them up to 8x10.

Pictures would be really appreciated. I've seen incredible photos of multi-table exhibits, but does anyone have any of just one table?

Thank you so much.

You've seen a picture of my standard bridal show set up... that picture is of a 6" table. It's more room than you think. I easily fit 4 dummies (a 4-6-8-10 square with a 14" base, a 6-9-12 round with a 16" base, a 5-6-7 on a 10" cake plate and a 3-5 on an 8" cake plate), a laptop, a frame with flavors, a 3 tiered cupcake stand for samples and other various items such as a vase with a gumpaste cherry branch and small votives. You can attach your sign to the front of the table with clips, or use an easel to display your sign next to or behind your booth. You can also have a couple other easels to display large frames with your work in them.

You can see a picture of my 6' booth in this thread... first page a few down...

http://www.cakecentral.com/cake-decorating-ftopict-630906-bridal.html+booth

Thanks Jeanne~ I'm a bit nervous. I'm hoping to have some new dummies made up by then. I have some, but they're bare. I want to add lots of color, maybe a topsy-turvy... I'm not sure.

I display my photos on a power point presentation on my laptop. I transport stuff using 2 big rubbermaid tubs, that I stack up and cover with a tablecloth that goes to the floor, creating another "table" for me (I usually put the laptop on this.

I have my samples in bussing tubs, sitting on a chair inside the booth space. I can then, without looking, reach down and pick up a sample & a fork to give to the person I'm talking to.

Do you have an artist's easel you can prop a photo on?

Here's one with one table and you can see the laptop stand I made over to the right: http://www.flickr.com/photos/55969028@N00/3355220104/in/set-72157619094515892/

Here's another show where I turned the table sideways and set up the laptop (aka rubbermaid containers) as a podium-like stand: http://www.flickr.com/photos/55969028@N00/3302380240/in/set-72157619094515892/ The chair with the samples is behind the laptop ... easy access while I stand there and talk to the brides.

I bring my rolling cart along, and often use it to serve samples, or just extra surface area. I do put my logo banner or sign at the front of the table, like where the skirting hangs...make use of that space!
I have seen that many photographers get that sort of fence/screen thing that can be stood up behind your table, and they hang their framed works on it. I just keep an album or two at the front of the table, and lay them open; they get browsed thru quite a bit.
Basically, I over-pack when going to a trade show, and decide when I get there what's appropriate for the space alloted!

The one that went to the floor was provided by the bridal show. The other one was just a standard 8' banquet tablecloth. You can buy them in packs of 3 at Sam's for about $20-$25. Or rent them from your local rental company.

Edited to add: I had to provide the tablecovering for the standard 8' one.

Find out if they will be taking care of the table skirting... usually the tables are covered for you, but being a veggie food festival, it might be different than you average bridal expo deal.

Good idea, I'll check. I do know they will have a small sign for all of us, but I made one on vista print for just a few dollars. I'll clip it in front, like you suggested. I'm going to try and get a way with bringing in one of those fold out poster boards and mount photos on that.

Have any of you ever made dummies of "sculpted cakes", or is that just absurd? I wanted to bring in an actual 3-d portrait cake, but I'm afraid it might fall in the car (hour drive), so I'm wondering if I could just carve styrofoam and then sculpt buttercream or fondant over that?

You most certainly could do that. Mount it to a nice sized board and it shouldn't fall over. If you don't want the base to show you can arrange a piece of fabrice over it to hide it. Do it in fondant though... buttercream would be asking for trouble IMHO.

I focus on weddings, but I want to do something whackier for my next round of dummies... I'll be carving some stuff for sure.

I built a new type base for my cake portraits last night ~ I'll send you pics when I've actually used them. I was working on the collaboration I told you about and suddenly I was making some bases (more stable bases).

Does anyone know if PVC, if treated, can be food safe? What do you have to do to it? I built an armatures last night for a large cake, but then I started wondering about PVC adhesive, etc. leaching into the cake... is this a non-issue?

What about something like this...

http://www.overstock.com/Worldstock/Double-Sided-Photo-Frame-Room-Divider-China/2300794/product.html

http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/20091/how_to_make_a_picture_frame_room_divider.html?cat=7

i was going to mention a photo frame room divider, alittle bit heavy but you can get some good sized photos in them. if you use a digital photo frame make sure you have access to electricity.

I wrap PVC (and plywood and the like) in fancy foil. Better safe than sorry. I know a lot of people don't, but if it's not meant for food handling I say wrap it in something that is.

I am going to get a digital frame too. Make sure it's a good sized one if you do go that route. Even if the frame is 8x10 the images will be too small to really be effective. You'd need at least a 10.4" screen and they can get pricey at the larger sizes. I have my heart set on a 15" screen (maybe a 17").

Get crackin' on those dummies... I can't wait to see your set up.

what about a digital photo frame. It would make it easy to show several pictures.

Those are great ideas. I don't think the digital frame is in my budget just yet... ~ excellent alternative to a laptop. Thanks for posting the "how to" for building a frame divider... it's a good things I'm handy with power tools.

Jeanne, I had planned to wrap the PVC also. I see A of C not doing this and it makes me wonder about the toxicity of plastic chemicals. (but maybe they clear coat it in something?) I also cover wood, styrofoam, etc... not worth the risk of hurting someone.

I'm a bit under the weather today, but if it passes, I'll be making atleast one dummy tonight. If it's not a "crime against cakes", I'll post it.

Those are great ideas. I don't think the digital frame is in my budget just yet... ~ excellent alternative to a laptop. Thanks for posting the "how to" for building a frame divider... it's a good thing I'm handy with power tools.

Jeanne, I had planned to wrap the PVC also. I see A of C not doing this and it makes me wonder about the toxicity of plastic chemicals. (but maybe they clear coat it in something?) I also cover wood, styrofoam, etc... not worth the risk of hurting someone.

I'm a bit under the weather today, but if it passes, I'll be making atleast one dummy tonight. If it's not a "crime against cakes", I'll post it.