ImportFood At Hyde Park Street Fair in Boise ID

In September 2019 we sold hand crafted popsicles using our Thai Popsicle Machine at the 40th Anniversary Hyde Park Street Fair near downtown Boise Idaho. This was a great experience and we actually made some money! Here's our story of how we got the whole thing started and what we did during the Fair.

SEE: Our Thai Popsicle Machine

First of all we had to apply to be a vendor about 8 months before the Fair. This was a straightforward process and we had to pay about $500 to reserve the booth. In addition, the Hyde Park Street Fair has a selection committee that approves vendors each new year. As we have a very unique product, we believe that helped get our application approved.

After we got approval notice in June, we set about acquiring the necessary things to make our vendor booth a success. We got a 10' x 10' vendor tent, and we designed two signs (see photos below). For fun we named our popsicles 'Dr Phans Old Style Popsicles'.

We developed four VERY delicous flavors, using experimentation on various liquids to create popsicles that freeze quickly and are absolutely delicious. Our non-dairy formula is relatively basic and we are happy to share it with anyone that purchases one of our popsicle machines.

Next we had our daughter come up with a creative design to put on T-shirts that we'd wear when at the vendor stand. Using a picture of our Boston Terrier she added two popsicles, and that was that. We had a T-shirt. A local company did the silk screening by hand, and those shirts became quite popular with our 14 year old son's friends, who were an invaluable source of help during the Fair. See pictures below of our shirts.

Limited Time Offer: Thai Popsicle T-Shirts For Sale

We also got a few tables from Costco. Three tables were used to hold our popsicle makers, and one in the back to keep cleaning supplies. We got three spandex table covers, these are a great idea because they hide anything you store under the table. Also added was a string of 30 low-voltage lights that we used at night, as the Fair went well into dark on Friday and Saturday nights.

At least two hours before the Fair started, it's important to get the popsicle machine full of ice and add 1.25 boxes of Morton Ice Cream Salt (only about $1.50 per box). Let it get completely cold for 2 hours before you start filling the tubes.

From that point it's just a matter of filling the tubes and regularly rotating the machine using the simple handles on top. With a steady rotation the popsicles remain totally frozen and hard for at least 18 hours. After 18 hours it's time to drain the melted water, add new ice and salt, and keep it going.

We never had a slow moment at the Fair. The locals in Boise loved our popsicles and at peak times we had a steady line of people waiting. When all was said and done, we'd sold well over 1000 popsicles. Lots of fun and plenty of memories, especially for the local kids who helped take orders and keep the place in order.

During the Fair we were approched by three different fair organizers who invited us to attend their events in the future.

We hope you enjoy this story and may think about starting a small business of your own.