We do a Christmas Bazaar in November that has turned into a great success. We make about $3,000 each year. It's not our major fundraiser but it's a great community builder and we push it as a way of showcasing our local vendors and helping out small businesses. We average about 45 vendors who purchase a spot 8 ft table if they bring their own.. we can rent ours for another fee. We showcase Makeup, jewelry, paintings, purses, etc... whatever a small business owner wants. We advertise for free on Facebook, all media sites, radio calendars, we submit press releases to our local papers and get a great turnout. The parents donate items for a bake sale (so all profit there) and we sell that with coffee and drinks for breakfast. We have a local restaurant cater the lunch and they give us a portion of the sales or work out a flat donation in return we advertise their restaurant on all of our flyers and press releases (so far- it's been parents of the school with local restaurants so it's to their benefit to help and promote). Each vendor donates a $20 value of their product with their fee. We use their donations to make baskets and raffle off the prizes- BIG HIT! It's a great way to unite your school and community. Some of the teachers have small Mary Kay businesses or make trinkets and sell it during this event. We run ours from 9 am-3pm on a Saturday and have vendors set up Friday night. Hope that gives some ideas!

I have 2 boys in elementary school. I also make Soy candles and do a lot of shows. I have sold at, been to and organized vendor/craft shows. I have been to excellent ones and some really BAD ones.
I have one school that has their show from 3:00 until 10:00 on a Friday. At one end of the room, after you past the vendors they threw in a little wine, cheese and crackers. You got the after school, after work, and after dinner crowd.
I like Nov/Dec the best.
If you get people in that will buy, your vendor/crafters will return year after year finding different vendors/crafters each year is a lot of work.
I wouldn't mix a tricky tray and vendor event, I have been to 2 like this and it is the pits for the vendors everyone comes for the tricky tray. I would do a 50/50 (winner not be present to win) if your able. We have had success with them. We sell the tickets 3 for $5 OR 15 FOR $10. The organization cleared $700.00 on the 50/50, plus what was charged for each vendor.

I've been discussing with our volunteer group and with people at my website the possiblity of a vendor event with home party vendors. Has anyone run a vendor event that was successful in the past? What kinds of activities did you have on hand? I was debating if we should do a wine and cheese kind of event with a tricky tray and vendors, but I'm open to suggestion! Thanks!