The Dragon Art Fair is a juried annual arts and craft fair of 100+ artists and vendors held the 1st Saturday in June in Fireman’s Park, DeForest, WI. This fair was started in 2004 by Merry Poast & Julie Wills who ran the fair under the Dragon Arts Group for the past 20 years, and cultivated a loyal following of attendees and returning vendors from DeForest and beyond.
The leaders of the Dragon Art Fair decided to hand off the management of the fair to the Village of DeForest in 2024. While the municipality inherited many existing practices, they sought Bolz Center student consultants to further improve the fair.
Consultants used many data collection methods including a survey distributed locally and online, Zoom-based focus groups with DeForest residents, and field
research. Key findings revealed that customers highly value local artists and desire a variety of art types at the fair. While there were some limitations, this
study provides valuable insights into community preferences and recommendations for streamlining vendor management, improving marketing to increase audience, increasing attendee satisfaction and boosting economic impact throughout the community. These recommendations can be used not only for
the upcoming 2025 Dragon Art Fair but all the DeForest Dragon Art Fairs to come.
Contact: UniverCityAlliance@wisc.edu