This post documents my experience on September 3, 2011.
Four months ago, I wanted to move forward with Ohio Festivals promotions and print some shirts to sell. I had two samples printed up to wear while festival hopping (see above), but they were too expensive to sell to the public at a reasonable price.
I, therefore, contacted some other companies, but they either couldn’t do it or they would disappear after a few emails.
I found myself running into a wall…a tall, jagged-edged, ultra-thick wall.
Then, as if someone had felt my anguish, I got an email requesting my presence at a festival…
…the Jak of All Trades Fest at Jakprints in Cleveland.
I had just heard of this festival a few weeks before and was a little concerned about the RSVP requirement – something I hadn’t experienced at a festival before.
But after reading the email request, I did a little more research and learned that the festival not only took place on company property…there was free beer.
Suddenly, the RSVP made perfect sense!
Also, to my surprise, I learned that Jakprints didn’t only print promotional materials, catalogs, magazines and stickers – they printed apparel too…
…and they had quite the client base to show for it.
So I sent in the RSVP’s for Julia and myself….
…and we drove to Jakprints…
…waited in the sign-in line to get our wrist bands…
…and entered the festival.
Being that the festival took place in an enclosed area on Jakprints’ property, it was like attending a private party where lively events occurred all around us, including…
…skate park activities with demonstrations…
…a Bike Polo match…
…a live mural installation…
…some rocking music (Two Hand Fools).
…and a company tour.
Julia and I arrived fairly hungry…


…so we headed to the food trucks for something to eat.
Julia got some fish tacos from Umami Moto.
.
And I got a cucumber, watermelon and feta salad from StrEat Mobile…
…and a duck burger with cherries from Dim and Den Sum.
Oh yeah…
…I also got some free beer!
Not only was the Jak of All Trades Fest the first ever festival I RSVP’d for…
…it was the first ever festival to offer free beer (Miller, Newcastle Brown Ale and Heineken) as well as free water…
…which you could find around the food/beer tent…


…in nicely iced receptacles.
Beer donations were accepted, which benefited Community Greenhouse Partners and MidTown Cleveland Incorporated….
…while 5% of food truck sales went to the charity of their choice.
This sense of community and philanthropy was also seen in other ways, including….
…a charity raffle…
…and the presence of booths that included the Cleveland Animal Rights Alliance…
…and even an activity booth for the kids.
Otherwise, in the booth area…
…found right in the middle of the festival…
…vendors offered printing necessities (HP)…
…printed boards (West Side Skates)…


…printed newspapers (Scene / Alternative Press)…


…printed skin (Voodoo Monkey / Atom Bomb)…
…and plenty of shirts for youngsters (Little Korboose)…


…trend setters (Sarkhead/FDZ)…
…and Clevelanders (Big Fun).
I was so impressed by the shirts (which were mostly – if not completely – printed by Jakprints), that I stopped by the Jakprints booth…
…and picked up some information for my own T-shirt dilemma.