Part 2: Goblyncon: Night-by-Night Highlights and Lessons Learned
Welcome back! In Part 1, I shared the prep work and challenges of getting ready for my first convention. Now let's talk about the convention itself - the people, the experience, and what I learned for next time.
Friday Night: Halloween at Goblyncon
The first night of Goblyncon was a lot of fun, but the amount of foot traffic was certainly lower than expected. I assume that it was a combination of it being Halloween night and Goblyncon being a new convention run by the Mythicon team, which meant that attendance would be low.
That said, the community was extremely animated, and I had a great time getting to know my fellow vendors - a special shoutout to Abby of the Adventure Nook and Renee of the Golden Rose Cakery, thanks for helping me feel at home!
Saturday: The Game Changer
The second day of the convention, however, that was a good deal more eventful - my wife spent the day with me to provide moral support and give some helpful advice in regards to table layout, along with being a roving barker for my wares! It seemed to work out great, because tons of people came by, and very few left empty handed!
After she had to leave for the evening (we have needy kitties!), I made the decision to burn the midnight oil, since I knew that there would be the evening ball and midnight rave, and I know that I want something sweet after dancing! It paid off handsomely in regards to seeing people overjoyed that a food vendor was still around, and I got to spend a lot of time learning about the Ocean Renaissance fair from Nik Seitz, along with others in the surrounding region. This community is much larger than I expected!
Sunday: Wrapping Up and Looking Forward
The last day was abbreviated, since I had more or less saturated the market - everyone that could partake in cookies had already bought something! I did hear quite a few people say that they were either gluten intolerant or couldn't consume dairy products, so I'll look into expanding my offerings for that community.
Teardown was easier than setup, since I was leaving with no butterscotch or apple cookies - they sold out completely!
Lessons Learned for Next Time
Looking back on my first convention experience, here are my key takeaways:
Temperature matters: Always do a test bake in unfamiliar ovens to check their actual temperature
Packaging is crucial: Invest in rigid storage for delicate items, especially those with moisture-rich fillings
Presentation counts: Bring menu stands and a whiteboard for daily specials and fun messages
Community is everything: The vendors and attendees were incredibly welcoming and supportive
Dietary restrictions matter: There's real demand for gluten-free and dairy-free options
Stay late if you can: Being available during evening events paid off in both sales and connections
What's Next?
My next major project is to use my commercial license to ship out pecan pies for Thanksgiving and Christmas - orders will start soon, make sure to subscribe to the newsletter!
Thank you to everyone who made Goblyncon such a memorable first convention. I can't wait to do it again!
