About the Publisher
Pat and Keith Notman were the owners and operators of Show Guides Unlimited. Over the past 40 years they have successfully operated and been involved in several small businesses. Their business experience, most particularly in the arts and crafts industry gives them an understanding of the unique challenges that small business owners face every day. They realized after running a craft show business and attending many shows over a few years that although there were publications around that were attempting to provide show information, none of them covered all of the different types of shows and venues. The accurate and up to date information they required to plan their show schedules was unavailable and Pat was spending a lot of hours online trying to track down new shows and venues to attend.
That was where the idea came for a new and fresh publication to fill that void! The first edition of Show Guides Unlimited was published in December of 2006 covering the upcoming 2007 show year. It was an instant success, largely due to colleagues and friends in the craft business. Show Guides Unlimited has improved year after year and is now one of the most relied upon source of show information in the craft industry.
This is now the 18th year of publishing the Show Guides Directory. Our directory has grown in popularity each year, and the good news is, it will continue to grow. I am excited to tell you that I have found someone to carry on with the book.
Although I love visiting with all of my crafter friends at the shows, the trip from PEI, where I now live is becoming more difficult. Jane, the new publisher, will now be visiting shows, as well as updating the data base, and mailing the Show Guides Directory. She is very happy to be carrying on the tradition of a great book!
My wife Jeanne and I have built a beautiful cottage overlooking the Northumberland Strait, next to Victoria-By-The-Sea, and plan to spend our retirement years walking the beach and digging for clams.
Jane can be reached at janeshowguides@gmail.com for information about the book, and to answer any questions you may have. Many of our new subscribers have come from existing readers who have passed along our information to new vendors looking for new venues.
We have done our best to provide the most up-to-date information at the time of publishing. Our Facebook membership of over 300 has kept the book current, allowed for updates, and has grown for many years. I thank you all for your support over these years, and hope to keep in touch by email, if not in person.